Section III.cover page.pdf

Section III Instructions for Proposal Preparation

RFP 25-0633R

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1. DESCRIPTION OF PROCUREMENT

This Request for Proposal (RFP) is being issued to solicit proposals from qualified firms to provide labor, material, equipment and supervision to perform various landscaping projects, when and as required by PPPL. The work scope is more fully described in Statement of Work for “Landscape Design & Installation Services”, BANDG_3.1_SOW_002, Revision 8, dated 11 Oct 2023.

2. ABOUT PRINCETON PLASMA PHYSICS LABORATORY (PPPL)

Princeton University manages and operates Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) under contract with the US Department of Energy (Contract No. DE-AC02-09CH11466). Based on its dual status as an accredited institution of higher learning in the State of New Jersey and a US Department of Energy Prime Contractor, PPPL may qualify for academic and/or federal government prices/discounts. Offerors shall specifically identify any discount arrangements offered with their proposals.

3. PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE/SITE VISIT

A Zoom pre-proposal teleconference will be held at 1:00 PM, 19 Feb 2025.

Individuals attending the conference shall ensure that all solicitation documents are available for reference during the meeting.

The agenda includes an introduction, a briefing on the proposed procurement, an explanation of the pricing format and how the proposals will be evaluated for technical acceptability. (NOTE:

Attendance of the Conference is mandatory.

A site visit will be held at 1:00 PM on 20 Feb 2025. Contractors shall provide the following information to obtain access to the laboratory site NLT 1:00 PM Monday 17 Feb 2024:

Full name Citizenship Birth country Birth city Organization & Address

Please email the requested information to mking@pppl.gov

4. SUBMISSION OF QUESTIONS

Prospective Offerors shall direct all questions concerning this RFP to the RFP Coordinator, Jimmy Russell, who can be reached at jrussell@pppl.gov. All questions should be submitted sufficiently in advance of the proposal closing date to allow for review and response by PPPL prior to the closing date. Oral explanations or instructions provided by PPPL will not be binding. Any substantive information will be furnished to all prospective Offerors via a written Amendment to the RFP if determined to be necessary to Offerors in submitting their proposals or if the lack of such information would be prejudicial to uninformed Offerors.

Deadline for submission of questions is 26 Feb 2025.

5. SAMPLE BASIC ORDERING AGREEMENT (BOA)

It is PPPL's plan to enter into a Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA) for this effort. Any BOA awarded as a result of this RFP will be issued under Prime Contract No. DE-AC02-09CH11466, between the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the Trustees of Princeton University.

The BOA awarded as a result of this RFP will be substantially the same as the Sample BOA set forth in Section II of the RFP. It is PPPL's intention to incorporate the terms and conditions set forth in the Sample BOA in any BOA awarded as a result of this RFP.

mailto:mking@pppl.gov mailto:jrussell@pppl.gov.

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6. FORMAT AND CONTENT OF PROPOSALS

Prospective Offerors are expected to thoroughly examine all sections of this RFP (including the Sample BOA) and to comply with all instructions for preparation and submittal of proposals in response to this RFP. Written proposals must set forth full, accurate, and complete information as required by, or referenced in, this RFP. The proposal must be sufficiently detailed to demonstrate complete compliance with PPPL's requirements.

Offerors shall prepare and submit the following documents which will comprise a complete proposal in response to this RFP. Failure to provide a proposal in the form and with content prescribed by this RFP may result in the proposal being determined to be non-responsive and eliminated from consideration. Proposals should be structured as requested and bound appropriately. One (1) electronic copy (PDF) of the proposal shall be provided to the RFP Coordinator by the RFP closing time and date.

PART I – ADMINISTRATIVE AND PRICING INFORMATION

A. Offeror Information and Pricing Form. Offerors shall complete and submit the Offeror Information and Pricing Form included in Section IV of the RFP and shall include pricing information as described on the form for evaluation by PPPL.

B. Acceptance of Sample Basic Ordering Agreement Terms and Conditions. Offerors shall initial the affirmative statement on the Offeror Information and Pricing Form noting their review and acceptance of the terms and conditions set forth in the Sample BOA (RFP Section II). If changes, additions, or deletions to the provisions or Articles included in the Sample BOA are desired, Offerors shall provide a separate list of their exceptions or proposed revisions along with reasons for taking exception or requesting revisions. Proposals may be considered to be non-responsive and eliminated from consideration based on the nature and extent of exceptions taken.

C. PPPL Representations and Certifications. Offerors shall complete and sign the PPPL Representations and Certifications Booklet included in Section IV of the RFP.

D. E-Verify. Offerors shall provide a copy of the Offeror’s E-Verify profile page, if not previously submitted to PPPL. A copy of PPPL’s E-verify profile page is included in RFP Section IV as an example.

PART II – OFFEROR QUALIFICATION INFORMATION

Offeror’s Qualifications. In order to be considered for award, Offerors must possess the following minimum qualifications:

Certified to design landscaping projects.

Successfully completed in the past 5 years a minimum of five (5) landscaping projects for which the Offeror has supplied services of a similar nature to that described in this RFP.

“Successfully completed” is defined as completion of the project on budget, on schedule, and no safety or environmental violations.

Workers Compensation Experience Modifier must be 1 or lower for the current fiscal year and last 2 fiscal years.

Offerors shall submit a brief description of their firm and evidence that the Offeror meets the minimum qualifications specified above to include the following:

Copy of the firm’s landscape designer’s certification

At least five previous landscaping projects valued at between $50,000 and $150,000 completed in the past 5 years of a similar scope specified in the Statement of Work;

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1. The location and address of the completed projects.

2. The client for whom the Offeror performed the work, the client's Project Manager's name, current telephone number and email address.

3. The monetary value or construction cost of the completed project.

4. Brief project description.

Provide Workers Compensation Experience Modifier for fiscal years 2022, 2023 and 2024 including backup documentation from an independent source, such as the insurance carrier to verify ratings.

7. EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS

PPPL will evaluate Offerors’ proposals to 1) ensure the proposal is responsive; 2) the Offeror meets the minimum qualification requirement; and 3) is a “responsible” prospective Subcontractor, as explained below:

RESPONSIVENESS. PPPL will determine the responsiveness of each proposal on a pass/fail basis. A proposal will be considered to be “responsive” if it is in compliance with all the requirements of the RFP. PPPL reserves the right to consider any proposal “unresponsive” and reject in total or in part, with or without prior discussion with the Offeror, if the proposal (a) is not submitted in the format specified in the RFP or does not include all of the information requested by PPPL; (b) is not in accordance with the instructions contained in the RFP; or (c) contains irregularities of any kind. Proposals determined non-responsive will be eliminated from further consideration for award.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION. Offerors’ whose proposal is determined to be responsive will then be evaluated to determine if the Offeror possess the minimum qualifications as specified in Part II of Paragraph 8. An Offeror is deemed qualified if determined by PPPL to meet all the minimum qualifications. Offerors determined not meeting the minimum qualifications will be eliminated from further consideration for award.

RESPONSIBILITY. PPPL will determine if an Offeror is a “responsible” prospective subcontractor, as the term is used in the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Subpart 9.1.

Offerors determined not to be a responsible prospective subcontractor will not be eligible for award.

8. BASIS FOR AWARD

PPPL intends to award subcontract to offeror providing the best overall value to PPPL. The Offerors’ initial proposal should contain the Offeror’s best terms from a price, qualification, and standpoint.

PPPL reserves the right to conduct discussions if PPPL later determines to be in the best interest of PPPL.

Subcontract award, if any and at PPPL’s sole discretion, will be made to the proposal from a qualified and responsible Offeror submitting a responsive “best valued” proposal.

PPPL reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal is its sole discretion, in total or in part, with or without prior discussion with the Offeror.

9. CLOSING DATE AND SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS BY THE RFP COORDINATOR AT PPPL IS

4:00 PM (Princeton Local Time) ON Wednesday, 12 March 2025.

Offerors are required to submit so as to be received by the RFP Coordinator at one of the addresses listed below by the RFP closing date and time One (1) electronic copy (PDF) of the proposal.

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PPPL will accept emailed pdf proposals ONLY

10. PROPOSAL PREPARATION COSTS

This Request for Proposal (RFP) is not intended and shall not be construed to commit Princeton University or the U. S. Government to pay any costs incurred in connection with the preparation of any proposal or to procure any items or services.

11. PROPOSAL VALIDITY PERIOD

Proposals are to be firm for a period of 90 days from the closing date specified in this RFP.

12. COST AND PRICING DATA

Offerors are advised that they must be prepared to furnish detailed cost or pricing data to support their proposed price in the event that PPPL deems such information necessary.

13. SALES TAX EXEMPTION

Princeton University is exempt from New Jersey Sales Tax (Exemption Certificate No. E-210-634- 501). A copy of PPPL’s sales tax exemption form will be provided upon request.

14. MODIFICATION OR WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSALS

Proposals may be modified or withdrawn by the Offeror by written notice if the PPPL RFP Coordinator receives such notice prior to the RFP closing date.

15. LATE PROPOSALS

Any proposal, including notifications of withdrawal or modification, received by PPPL after the closing date specified for this RFP shall be considered to be late. Except as otherwise specifically provided for in this RFP, the Laboratory may consider for award such late proposals if it is in the best interest of PPPL.

16. INSURANCE

Insurance Certificates, evidencing compliance with General Provisions Clause T4 set forth in the Sample BOA at RFP Section II, must be submitted to PPPL for review and approval within ten calendar days after BOA award.

17. PRE-AWARD CONFERENCE

PPPL may require the apparent successful responsive Offeror to attend a Pre- Award Conference to show evidence of its ability to perform under the terms of the proposed BOA.

18. SMALL BUSINESS CONSIDERATION

PPPL reserves the right to make any award it deems necessary to satisfy the small, disadvantaged, women-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned and Hubzone small business subcontracting goals and objectives set forth in the prime contract.

19. CANCELLATION

PPPL reserves the right to cancel this procurement at any time without making an award and without providing a reason.

1. DESCRIPTION OF PROCUREMENT

2. ABOUT PRINCETON PLASMA PHYSICS LABORATORY (PPPL)

3. PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE/SITE VISIT

4. SUBMISSION OF QUESTIONS

Deadline for submission of questions is 26 Feb 2025.

6. FORMAT AND CONTENT OF PROPOSALS

PART I – ADMINISTRATIVE AND PRICING INFORMATION

PART II – OFFEROR QUALIFICATION INFORMATION

7. EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS

8. BASIS FOR AWARD

Subcontract award, if any and at PPPL’s sole discretion, will be made to the proposal from a qualified and responsible Offeror submitting a responsive “best valued” proposal.

9. CLOSING DATE AND SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

11. PROPOSAL VALIDITY PERIOD

12. COST AND PRICING DATA

13. SALES TAX EXEMPTION

14. MODIFICATION OR WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSALS

15. LATE PROPOSALS

16. INSURANCE

17. PRE-AWARD CONFERENCE

18. SMALL BUSINESS CONSIDERATION

19. CANCELLATION