SOL-278-14-000010_-_Amendment_No._01.pdf

June 9, 2014

Subject: Request for Proposals (RFP) No. SOL-278-14-000010 - Architect-Engineering

Services – Water Sector Infrastructure Project in Jordan (WSIP)

The purpose of this Amendment is to provide the clarifications in the solicitation and to disseminate responses to questions received from prospective Offerors.

Accordingly, changes are made as reflected below and in attachment I.

1. In Section L.8 Paragraph 4.1, add the following: “Major Subcontractors” are defined as those subcontractors expected to perform at least 20 percent of the technical effort or to provide the majority professional expertise for a particular task of the Contract Statement of Work.”

2. In Section L.6(d) of the solicitation the following clarification is provided:

The Envelops shall be marked as follow:

TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

WSIP for USAID/Jordan

SOL-278-14-000010

Name of Offeror

COST PROPOSAL

WSIP for USAID/Jordan

SOL-278-14-000010

Name of Offeror

3. In Section I – Contract Clauses: The solicitation provisions are revised as follows:

“Delete FAR 52.222-19 Child-Labor –Cooperation with authorities and remedies and update the following Provisions:

a. Covenant Against Contingent Fees - FAR 52.203-5 (MAY 2014)

b. Anti-Kickback procedures - FAR 52.203-7 (MAY 2014)

c. Cancellation, Rescission, and Recovery of Funds for Illegal or Improper Activity - FAR

52.203-8 (MAY 2014)

d. Price or Fee Adjustment for Illegal or Improper Activity - FAR 52.203-10 (MAY 2014)

e. Rights in Data – General - FAR 52.227-14 (MAY 2014)

f. Cost Accounting Standards - FAR 52.230-2 (MAY 2014)

g. Interest - FAR 52.232-17 (MAY 2014)

h. Assignment of Claims - FAR 52.232-23 (MAY 2014)

i. Disputes - FAR 52.233-1 (MAY 2014)

j. Bankruptcy - FAR 52.242-3 (MAY 2014)”

All other terms and conditions of the subject solicitation remain unchanged.

SOL-278-14-000010-Amendment #01 - Water Sector Infrastructure Project in Jordan (WSIP)

ATTACHMENT I

Request for Proposal (RFP) No. SOL-278-14-000010 – Amendment No. 01 Architect-Engineering Services – Water Sector Infrastructure Project in Jordan (WSIP)

Questions/Clarifications and Answers

I TECHNICAL QUESTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

Q1 Could you please confirm whether a joint venture between a local (Jordanian) company and an overseas entity would be acceptable under the terms of the tender.

A1

This solicitation is based on the local competition authority, See Section H.2 and Section H.3. Therefore, joint venture arrangement are not encouraged, however, qualified local firms can subcontract part of the work to any qualifying entity in accordance with the terms and conditions of the solicitation.

Q2 SOL Section L, paragraph L.8, Page 89: In the first paragraph reference is made to the implementation and monitoring plan (IMP); please confirm this is the same as the AMEP as discussed in Section F.7, paragraph 4, page 33?

A2 Confirmed.

Q3 SOL Section L, paragraph L.8, Sub Paragraph 1.4.2: Please confirm that resumes and letters of commitment are to be included in the appendices.

A3 Confirmed.

Q4 SOL Section L, paragraph L.6, Sub Paragraph b Page 87: To better support the preference for consolidation into a single document for email submission, please confirm PDF readable and searchable files can be used in lieu of Word files for CD ROM and email submission.

A4

CD ROM submission of all sections of the technical proposal in MS Word readable format as specified in the referenced Section L.6 is required for mail or hand delivery.

The cost proposal must be submitted in Excel format.

Q5

SOL Section L, paragraph L.6, Sub Paragraph d, Page 88: The information that is requested to be marked on the outside of the sealed envelopes is missing. Please indicate the information that should be clearly marked on the outside of the sealed envelopes.

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A5

The envelops shall be marked as follows:

TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

WSIP for USAID/Jordan

SOL-278-14-000010

COST PROPOSAL

WSIP for USAID/Jordan

SOL-278-14-000010

Q6

SOL Section L, paragraph L.10, Page 94: Please confirm the Branding Implementation Plan or Marking Plan are not to be included in the Technical Proposal and are to be provided after the issuance of award.

A6 In Section F.7, paragraph (n) and Section L, the following clarification is provided:

“The draft Branding and Marking Plan must be submitted with the proposal. The final Branding and Marking Plan will be due within 30 days of contract award.”

The draft marking and branding plan will not count against the page numbering.

Q7 SOL Section L, paragraph L.8, Sub Paragraph 3, Page 92: The second paragraph states “The Offeror must submit duly filled SF 330 – Architect –Engineer Qualifications.” The information included in a complete SF 330 includes Part 1 Section A-H and Part 2. The information in these sections of the SF 330 is redundant to the information required in the Technical Proposal because both include key personnel, technical approach, previous experience, past performance, resumes, etc. Please confirm the Technical Proposal is sufficient for submittal and the SF330 is not required.

A7 Please comply with the RFP requirements.

Q8 SOL Section L, paragraph L.8, Sub Paragraph 3.0, Page 92: Refer to the third paragraph in this section. Please confirm these projects can be from the Offeror and each major subcontractor.

A8 For Paragraph 3.0, evaluation will be based on the qualification of the prime Offeror.

Q9 SOL Section L, paragraph L.8, sub paragraph 4.0, page 93: Please confirm that the two current points of contacts are total for reference information, rather than per project.

A9 Required reference information is per project.

Q10 SOL Section L, paragraph L.8, sub paragraph 4.0, page 93: Please confirm that the sentence should read as follows: “Organization’s name, at least two (2) current points of contacts who are capable of providing information with respect to performance of the Offeror…..”

A 10 Correct.

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Q11

SOL Section M, paragraph M.2, page 96: Refer to the Technical Evaluation Criteria in the table. Please provide the weighting criteria for each item in the table.

A11 No weighting or point values will be provided.

Q12 SOL Section M, paragraph M.3, page 98: Refer to the first paragraph. Please provide the weighting criteria for the technical proposal and cost proposal.

A12 No weighting or point values will be provided.

Q13 SOL Section M, Paragraph M.2, sub paragraph 3.0, page 97: The sub paragraphs 3.1 Previous Experience Construction Management and 3.2 Preparation of detailed design in tender documents section seems redundant of to the sub paragraph 4.0 Past Performance section, as both require previous project information and successful past performance. To ease the evaluation process, it is possible to combine sub paragraphs 3.0 and 4.0 into 3.0. ------- Previous Experience and Past Performance and allow the use of Attachment 4 be used for both previous experience and past performance?

A 13 No. Follow the instructions in the RFP.

Q14 SOL Section C.1.3 “Objectives” page 12: Item 2 is for the provision of technical services to USAID during the life of the project. Please advise a scope so we can develop pricing or advise how this is to be priced.

A14 Refer to section C.3 in the RFP. This is a “To Be Determined” task that hasn’t been identified yet. Refer also to the instructions in Section L.8 item 1.3.

Q15 SOL Section C.2 “Statement of Work-Construction Management Services of Jerash WWTP, Tafilah WWTP, and Amman Water System Improvement Phase II” page 13: The note says that the contractor will be notified if the CM services for the Amman Water System Improvement Phase II portion of work will be done under this contract. When is the notice expected and how are we to price this work for this proposal

A15 For the purposes of proposal preparation, the Offerors shall use the tentative schedule provided in the RFP for each construction contract as stated in Section C.1.1 of the RFP.

Q16 SOL Section C2.5.2 “Detailed Description of Tasks” page 24:

Question:

a. Which FIDIC book is the construction work performed under?

b. Who is the engineer of record for the construction work and will they be addressing all technical questions coming from the contractor regarding their design?

A16

a. Construction Documents, including FIDIC conditions, for Amman Improvement and Jerash WWTP were made available to bidders for review as stated in the RFP. The same FIDIC conditions of contract will be used for Tafilah WWTP.

b. The tentative schedule in the solicitation shows that the bidding process shall be completed before the end of the current Construction Management Contract (unless an unexpected delay occurs). Therefore all questions related to the design will be addressed by current Construction Management Contractor. The successful Offeror

4 | P a g e will be Engineer during the construction stage and therefore and will be responsible for providing necessary responses to the construction contractor’s requests for clarification.

Q17 SOL Section H, Paragraph H.22 and H.24, Page 49: Please confirm that the participation of the Jordanian class 1A Consultants, that worked as sub consultants to CDM on the Water/ Wastewater Infrastructure Project in Jordan (USAID Contract: EDH-I-00-08-00023-00), is allowed in this tender.

A17 The RFP is seeking proposals from interested qualified Jordanian Architect- Engineer (A-E) Consulting Firms, classified as Grade 1A in the field of water and wastewater by the Jordanian Tender Department of the Ministry of Public Works and Housing.

Q18 Can USAID/Jordan please confirm that the illustrative implementation and monitoring plan (IMP) referenced in SOL Section L.8, paragraph 1, page 89; and, the completed Standard Form 33 referenced in SOL Section L.5, paragraph f, page 87 are to be excluded from the 20-page limit?

A18 Yes, confirmed.

Q19 Can USAID/Jordan please confirm that a cover/transmittal letter will be excluded from the 20-page limit?

A19 See Section L.8 d.

Q20 Are Offerors permitted to include the following up-front, orienting documents in our Technical Proposal that will not count toward the stated page limit of 20?

• Proposal Map (to show how and where our proposal meets the requirements and evaluation criteria)

• List of Acronyms

A20 Yes.

Q21 SOL Section L.8, 3.0 Previous Experience, paragraph 2, page 92 states “The Offeror must submit duly filled SF 330 – Architect-Engineer Qualifications (see Attachment #3): Past record of performance on similar scope of projects completed within the last 10 years with respect to such factors as control of costs, quality of work, and ability to meet schedules, to the extent such information is available.” Can USAID/Jordan please clarify the following:

• Which portion of the SF-330 (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H or Part II) should be filled out by the Offeror?

• Will the SF 330 be included in or excluded from the 20 page limit?

A 21 • Only Part I, blocks 1-9 of the SF 330 is required.

• As indicated in Section L. The SF 330 is excluded from the 20 page limit.

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II COST AND BUSINESS QUESTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

Q1 SOL Section I, paragraph I.3, sub paragraph a1, a3: Please confirm that a qualified Jordanian Architect-Engineering (A-E) Consulting firm can obtain a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and register in the System for Award Management (SAM), but a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) number is not required.

A1 A Jordanian firm can obtain DUNS and can register in the SAM and a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code. Guidance is provided in Attachment 2. However, TIN is not required for non-American firms.

Q2 SOL Attachment #6, Page 108: Reference to the Subcontract costs identified under the table; to determine if an ancillary budget is required, please define a “major subcontract”.

A2

Major Subcontractors are those subcontractors expected to perform at least 20 percent of the technical effort or to provide the majority professional expertise for a particular task of the contract SOW.

Q3 SOL Section L.6, paragraph 4, page 88 includes the information for the subject line on the email submission for the Cost Proposal. Can USAID/Jordan please clarify if the Cost Proposal should be submitted via email?

A3

Yes. See the Solicitation Section L.6.

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June 9, 2014