Attachment_A_-_Solicitation_Addenda_Instructions_Evaluation_Criteria_and_Basis_for_Award.pdf

ATTACHMENT A – SOLICITATION ADDENDA, INSTRUCTIONS, EVALUATION

CRITERIA & BASIS FOR AWARD

Contents

1. 52.212-1 – INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS – COMMERCIAL ITEMS,

SOLICITATION ADDENDA

2. CONTINUATION OF INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS

2.1. Inquiries

2.2. Submission of Proposals

2.3. Written Submission

2.3.1. General

2.3.2. Number of Copies

2.3.3. Text

2.3.4. Font Size

2.3.5. Page Limitation

2.3.6. Cross-referencing

2.4. Soft Copy Submission with Proposal

2.5. Confidential Information

2.6. List of Attachments

3. EVALUATION CRITERIA AND BASIS FOR AWARD

3.1. Factor 1 - Technical Approach

3.2. Factor 2 - Relevant Experience

3.3. Factor 3 - Past Performance

3.4. Factor 4 - Schedule

3.5. Factor 5 - Quality Control (QC) Plan

3.6. Price Proposal

1. 52.212-1 – INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS – COMMERCIAL ITEMS,

SOLICITATION ADDENDA

52.212-1 (b)(8) Representations & Certifications. The offeror must have completed Online Representations and Certifications at FAR 52.212-3 for the NAICS code and small business size standard for this acquisition which appear in Block 10 of the solicitation cover sheet (SF 1449). If the offeror does not have online representations and certifications for the applicable NAICS code and size standard in the System for Award Management at www.sam.gov the offeror must submit a complete of the representations and certifications with its offer.

52.212-1 (c) Period for Acceptance of Offers is changed from 30 calendar days TO READ 60 calendar days.

2. CONTINUATION OF INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS

2.1. Inquiries

Inquiries regarding the Request for Proposal (RFP) shall be submitted electronically using the Pre Proposal Inquiry Form (Attachment F) provided in this solicitation no later than July 15, 2015. The Point of Contact (POC) for inquiries is Matthew Gomer and e-mail address is matthew.gomer@nist.gov. The Government does not intend to respond to inquiries submitted after the inquiry cutoff date. The Government will collect all inquiries, incorporate responses and distribute to all Contractors through amendment to this solicitation in the FedBizOpps System.

2.2. Submission of Proposals

Proposals shall conform to the instructions contained in the clause at FAR 52.212-1 contained herein as well as the requirements of this section. Significant deviation may result in the possible exclusion of such proposals from further consideration.

Proposals shall contain the following parts:

Part I – Technical Non-Price Factors:

Factor 1 – Technical Approach

Factor 2 – Relevant Experience

Factor 3 - Past Performance

Factor 4 – Schedule http://www.sam.gov/ mailto:matthew.gomer@nist.gov

Factor 5 – Quality Control (QC) Plan

Part II – Price Proposal

2.3. Written Submission

2.3.1. General

All original proposal materials shall be submitted in accordance with requirements in the section. The proposal shall be presented in the order detailed in this section and as required elsewhere in the solicitation. The proposal and its page limitations to this solicitation shall be submitted in two-, four-, or six-part folder, classification folder, or equivalent via hard-copy and on one CD- ROM/DVD/DVR with four separate files to represent table of contents and tabbed section dividers. A two-, four-, or six-part folder, classification folder, or equivalent is usually comprise of pressboard stock with bonded fasteners on front and back covers and double sided prong fastener on each inner partition. These folders have various inch capacities and have in-place/bound fasteners, which are different than bound proposals.

These are examples of “bound proposals” that requires a binding spine that uses a binding machine to manually punch holes and bound a number of sheets together with a binding spine. Bound proposals will not be accepted.

The section should parallel the submission requirements identified below for non-price factors. Each two-, four-, or six-part folder, classification folder, or equivalent furnished shall contain the following information on its cover:

solicitation number, Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, name, address, and telephone numbers of the Offeror. Proposal clarity and material organization is mandatory. No material (e.g. samples) shall be incorporated by http://www.google.com/imgres?sa=X&biw=1600&bih=775&tbm=isch&tbnid=cFmgcZqb2ouROM:&imgrefurl=http://www.alfredenvelope.com/classification.html&docid=y_xXyt6mS6sIOM&imgurl=http://www.alfredenvelope.com/pricing2images/ca10.jpg&w=196&h=172&ei=w0olU9r-FaLWyQGA5oD4Cw&zoom=1&ved=0CNUBEIQcMCg&iact=rc&dur=310&page=2&start=30&ndsp=31 reference. The information will be used by the Government to evaluate each proposal. Proposals should provide more than superficial coverage of the information required by the evaluation factors identified herein. Additionally, should the proposal include any standard company terms and conditions that conflict with the terms and conditions of the solicitation, the proposal may be determined ineligible for award.

The Government shall not be liable for any costs incurred by the offeror submitting an offer in response to this Solicitation.

2.3.2. Number of Copies

Offerors shall submit an “Original” and two (2) copies and one (1) soft copy on a CD-ROM/DVD/DVR in Microsoft Word or PDF format of their proposal as described herein.

2.3.3. Text

Text shall be at least single spaced, on 8 ½” x 11” inch paper, with a minimum one-inch margin all around. Pages shall be numbered consecutively. A page printed on both sides shall be counted as two (2) pages. Submission as double-sided printing/copying on recycled paper is encouraged. Foldout pages sized 11:

x 17: may be used for tables, charts, graphs, or pictures that cannot be legibly presented on 8 ½” x 11” paper. An 11” x 17” sheet is equivalent to two pages with regard to the page count limitations.

2.3.4. Font Size

Print shall be of a minimum 11-point font size or a maximum 11 characters per inch (11-pitch, pica) spacing. Bolding, underlining, and italics may be used to identify topic demarcations or points of emphasis. Graphic presentations, including tables, while not subject to the same font size and spacing requirements, shall have spacing and text that is easily readable.

2.3.5. Page Limitation

The cover letter, title pages, table of contents and glossary of abbreviations and acronyms do not count against page count limitations. Proposals for technical non-price factors shall be limited to 45 pages total (including any charts, diagrams, or tables). Proposal contents that exceed the stated page limitations will be removed from the proposal by the Contracting Officer before the proposal is turned over to the Government evaluation teams and will not be considered in the evaluation.

2.3.6. Cross-referencing

Each volume, other than the cost/price volume, shall be written to the greatest extent possible on a standalone basis so that its content may be evaluated with a minimum of cross-referencing to other volumes of the proposal. Cross-referencing within a proposal volume is permitted where its use would conserve space without impairing clarity. Hyperlinking of cross-references is permissible.

Information required for proposal evaluation that is not found in its designated volume or cross-referenced is assumed to have been omitted from the proposal.

2.4. Soft Copy Submission with Proposal

In addition to the hard copies, in physical form, as identified above, the offeror shall submit all proposal information in soft/electronic copy format on CD-ROM/DVD/DVR in Microsoft Word or PDF format. The soft/electronic copy version shall be either a single file tabbed in the same order as the hard copy or multiple files hyperlinked to a single table of contents. All elements of the proposal shall be available in soft copy format, i.e. cut sheets, if applicable, should be scanned in PDF format, thus making it available in electronic form. The CD-ROM/DVD/DVR must be clearly labeled by solicitation number and offeror’s name and DUNS. In the event of any conflict between the soft copy and the hard copy, the hard copy submission shall take precedence and will be the material upon which the Government bases its evaluation and ultimately its decision.

2.5. Confidential Information

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and its amendments have resulted in an increasing number of requests from outside the Government for copies of contractor qualifications and proposals submitted to Federal agencies. If an offeror’s submissions contain information that they believe should be withheld from such requestors under FOIA on the grounds that they contain “trade secrets and commercial or financial information” [5 USC§552(b)(4)], the offeror should mark its submissions in the following manner:

• The following notice should be placed on the title page: “Some parts of this document, as identified on individual pages, are considered by the submitter to be privileged or confidential trade secrets or commercial or financial information not subject to mandatory disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. Material considered privileged or confidential on such grounds is contained on page(s)

• Each individual item considered privileged or confidential under FOIA should be marked with the following notice: “The data or information is considered confidential or privileged, and is not subject to mandatory disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act”.

2.6. List of Attachments

• Attachment A – Solicitation Addenda, Instructions, Evaluation Criteria & Basis for Award

• Attachment B – Performance Specification

• Attachment C – Reference Drawing

• Attachment D – Relevant Experience Project Data Sheet

• Attachment E – Past Performance Questionnaire_PPQ

• Attachment F – Pre-proposal Inquiry Form

• Attachment G – Wage Determination

3. EVALUATION CRITERIA AND BASIS FOR AWARD

The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The factors identified below shall be used to evaluate offers.

Technical and past performance, when combined, are significantly more important when compared to price.

Options: The Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. The Government may determine that an offer is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s).

A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer’s specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award.

3.1. Factor 1 - Technical Approach

Submittal Requirements

Offerors shall submit a technical approach. Technical Approach is defined as the Offeror’s proposed solution(s) to successfully conduct performance under the requirements of the Performance Specification.

Offerors should clearly describe, in sufficient detail, their technical approach in successfully fulfilling the technical requirements identified in this RFP. The technical approach should clearly demonstrate how the proposed solution will meet or exceed all requirements of the performance specification, maximize the interior working volume and maximize absorber performance. In addition to the elements the offeror deems relevant, the Offeror should include discussion of the following in its technical approach:

• Project management plan project tasks and schedule coordination.

• Chamber specifications to include at a minimum o Exterior size dimensions o Interior working volume o Noise level performance o Absorber sizes and performance o Contract Option Items and performance o The structural requirements for the floor that will bear the weight of the chamber.

o The floor levelness specifications for the proposed chamber.

o The total number of required electrical circuits and their amperages required for proper operation

Basis of Evaluation

The offerors technical approach will be subjectively evaluated to determine the extent to which the offeror’s technical approach demonstrates a clear understanding of the performance specification and the degree to which the proposed solution is technically and managerially sound and likely to meet the objectives of the project as described in the RFP. The technical specifications of the chamber will be evaluated to determine exterior size, interior working volume, absorber performance, noise control and overall chamber performance. Chamber solutions that maximize the interior working volume of the chamber, absorber performance and reduced noise levels may be rated more favorably. Optional features will be evaluated and considered preference items.

Stronger emphasis (more importance) will be placed on the technical solution of the basic requirements as compared with proposed optional features.

3.2. Factor 2 - Relevant Experience

Submittal Requirement

Submit a maximum of five (5) projects for the Offeror that best demonstrates your firms’ experience performing relevant projects that are similar in size, scope, and complexity to the RFP. For all submitted projects, the description of the project shall clearly describe the scope of work performed and the relevancy to the project requirements of this RFP (i.e.: unique features, technical capabilities).

Projects submitted for the Offeror shall be completed within the past three (3) years of the date of issuance of this RFP.

A relevant project is defined as a project performed under a single task order or contract for the installation of a semi-anechoic or a fully anechoic chamber measuring 5 meters or larger and consistent with the complexity set forth in this PWS. For multiple award and indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity type contracts, the contract as a whole should not be submitted as a project; rather Offerors should submit the work performed under a task order as a project.

The attached Relevant Experience Project Data Sheet (RFP Attachment D) is MANDATORY and SHALL be used to submit project information. Individual blocks on this form may be expanded; however, total length for each project data sheet shall not exceed one (1) double-sided page (or two (2) single-sided pages).

Basis of Evaluation:

The assessment of the Offeror’s submittals will be used as a means of subjectively evaluating the offeror’s demonstrated breadth and depth of experience in performing relevant projects as defined in the solicitation submittal requirements. The assessment of the Offeror’s relevant experience will be used as a means of evaluating the capability of the Offeror to successfully meet the requirements of the RFP. The Government will only review five (5) Relevant Experience projects. Any projects submitted in excess of the five (5) relevant projects will not be considered.

Projects demonstrating relevant experience more closely associated to the requirements of this RFP may be considered more favorably.

3.3. Factor 3 - Past Performance

Submittal Requirements

Offeror’s shall submit a Past Performance Questionnaire or Contract Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) Evaluation Report for each relevant project submitted for Factor 2. If a completed CPARS Evaluation Report is available for each project, it shall be submitted with the proposal. If there is not a completed CPARS evaluation report then contractors shall submit a Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ) (RFP Attachment E) for each project included in Factor 2. The Offeror should provide completed PPQs in the proposal. However, this does not preclude the Government from utilizing previously submitted PPQ information in the past performance evaluation. If the Offeror is unable to obtain a completed PPQ from a client for a project(s) before proposal closing date, the Offeror should complete and submit with the proposal the first page of the PPQ, which will provide contract and client information for the respective project(s). The Government may make reasonable attempts to contact the client noted for that project(s) to obtain the PPQ information. However, Offerors should follow-up with clients/references to help ensure timely submittal of questionnaires. If requested by the client, questionnaires may be submitted directly to the Government’s point of contact, Mr. Matthew Gomer; matthew.gomer@nist.gov.

Offerors may provide any information on problems encountered and the corrective actions taken on projects submitted under Factor 2 – Relevant Experience. Offerors may also address any adverse past performance issues. Explanations shall not exceed two (2) double-sided pages (or four (4) single-sided pages) in total.

The Government reserves the right to contact references for verification or additional information. The Government’s inability to contact any of the Offeror’s references or mailto:matthew.gomer@nist.gov the references unwillingness to provide the information requested may affect the Government’s evaluation of this factor.

Basis of Evaluation

This subjective evaluation focuses on how well the Offeror performed on the relevant projects submitted under Factor 2 – Relevant Experience as well as Past Performance on other projects currently documented in known sources. More emphasis will be placed on more relevant projects. In addition to the above, the Government reserves the right to obtain information for use in the evaluation of past performance from any and all sources including sources outside of the Government. Other sources may include, but are not limited to, past performance information retrieved through the Past Performance Information Retrieval System (PPIRS), inquiries of owner representative(s), Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) and any other known sources not provided by the Offeror.

The Government will consider the currency and relevance of the information, the source of the information, context of the data, and general trends in the Contractor’s performance. This evaluation is separate and distinct from the Contracting Officer’s responsibility determination. The assessment of the Offeror’s past performance will be used as a means of evaluating the Offeror’s probability to successfully meet the requirements of the RFP.

Offerors lacking relevant past performance history will not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably in past performance and will receive a Neutral rating.

In this context, “relevant” is defined as project scopes that are similar in type of work and is consistent in size (5 meter semi-anechoic or fully anechoic chamber or larger) and complexity with the requirements set forth in this RFP.

3.4. Factor 4 - Schedule

The Offeror shall submit a project schedule describing its official implementation plan, key milestones to include project deliverables and its proposed timeline along with a Gantt chart that describes the resources allocated to tasks versus the proposed timeline.

Basis of Evaluation

The contractors proposed schedule will be subjectively evaluated to determine the offerors demonstrated understanding of the project requirements in terms of resources and tasks required, key milestones and deliverables and performance period of time.

3.5. Factor 5 - Quality Control (QC) Plan

Submit a Quality Control Plan which addresses the offeror’s plan of ensuring quality in all aspects of work throughout performance including work completed by subcontractors. The plan should discuss how quality control and non-compliance issues will be mitigated, identified and resolved through corrective action and follow-up. The plan may include charts, diagrams and tables.

Basis of Evaluation

The QC plan will be subjectively evaluated to determine the overall quality of the offeror’s demonstrated plan to ensuring quality in all aspects of work throughout the project performance.

3.6. Price Proposal

Offerors shall submit a firm fixed price (FFP) offer on the SF 1449. The SF 1449 shall be signed by the offeror. In addition to the summary price proposal on the SF 1449, the price proposal shall include complete support documentation which clearly specifies all major materials and components and services to include required skill categories/labor mix and number of hours. The price proposal shall clearly identify any elements that will be subcontracted. The price proposal documentation shall clearly describe how the total price for each contract line item was derived.

Basis of Evaluation

The Government will evaluate the price proposal using price analysis techniques to determine fairness, reasonableness and realism in relation to the technical solution.

Price analysis will be conducted in accordance with the FAR and Commerce Acquisition Manual. The analysis may include information from a Government auditing agency, Government technical personnel, or other sources. If a price is disproportionally lower than other competitive prices or significantly unbalanced, the price may be deemed unrealistic. A determination will be made by the Contracting Officer based upon the information provided. The Government reserves the right to ask for any additional price related information from the Contractor in order to determine a price fair and reasonable.

An award will be made to the Offeror(s) that represent the Best Value to the Government. The Government may award to other than the lowest priced offer or the highest technically rated offer utilizing trade-offs. Price will be evaluated separately from technical factors and used as a trade-off between the technical factors. Price will become more important as the degree of equality among technical non-price evaluations increase.