GLNPOCS Q A 32111.docx

Questions and Answers GLNPOCS Solicitation

SOL-R5-10-00008

Q1. a) Please clarify the number of awards EPA intends to make under this procurement.

b) Please clarify the joint total acquisition value of this procurement.

c) Assuming multiple awards are made, please clarify the maximum value of each individual award.

A1. a) Three (3)

b) $450 million

c) $150 million

Q2. a) Is the Executive Summary included in the 100-page limitation?

b) Does the Executive Summary have any specific page limitation?

A2. a) No

b) 1 page

Q3. Are Letters of Intent included within the 100-page limitation? Is the format of these letters at the discretion of the offeror?

A3. Letters of Intent are not included within the 100-page limitation. The format of these letters is at the discretion of the offeror.

Q4. a) Please identify if there are any page margin requirements for the proposal. Are there any page margin restrictions for graphics?

b) Graphics - Is 10pt font size acceptable for graphics so they are not overly large?

c) Is a smaller font size also allowed for tables in addition to charts and graphs?

d) Can a smaller font size that is legible (e.g., 10pt) be used in tables and figures?

A4. a) At least a 1 inch margin is required for all parts of the proposal.

b) Yes.

c) Yes

d) Yes

Q5. a) L10. A. Instructions, Required Format (for the Technical/Business Proposal) specifies that “The 100 page limit … does NOT include …Government required forms.” We assume that this refers to Section K (Representations, Certifications, and Other Statements of Offeror). Is this assumption correct?

b) The solicitation indicates that Section K should be included "as part of the technical/business proposal." Are Representations, Certifications and Other Statements then included as part of the 100-pg count allotted to the technical proposal?

c) The following items are required (or suggested) to be included in the Technical/Business Proposal. These required items could easily account for at least 10 of the available 100 pages allowed in the Technical/Business Proposal. Are any of the other required items excluded from the 100 page limit?

· First Page of the Proposal (L2 (c)(2))

· Title Page (L2.(e)(1))

· Cover Letter (L10.I)

· Proposal Assumptions (L10.I(6))

· Exceptions or Deviations (L10.I(7))

· Table of Contents (L.10.Technical/Business Proposal, A. Instructions, Required Format)

· List of Figures (suggested)

· Glossary of Acronyms (suggested)

· Letters of Intent for Key Personnel (L10. Technical/Business Proposal B(2)c.)

d) Regarding Reps and Certs included in Volume 1 - Do we include the entire Section K as part of the submission, even if ORCA was completed online? Or can we insert a single signed page indicating no changes. If we are to include Section K, then are the 12 pages included as part of the 100 page count for the volume, and therefore the contractor should renumber the pages to match their position in the proposal?

e) Please clarify if the Representations and Certifications can be submitted as a tabbed Appendix in the Technical Business Proposal.

f) The solicitation states “each offeror shall include a narrative of 1-3 sediment remediation projects completed within the last 5 years. The narrative shall be no more than four pages, double-sided.” Does this mean that a maximum of four physical pages (8 pages double-sided) is allowed for the complete project narrative (including all 3 projects)? Does “four pages, double sided” mean 4 physical sheets of paper that contain double-sided text or 2 physical sheets of paper that contain double-sided text?

A.5 a) Yes.

b) No.

c) The 100 page limit does not apply to the enumerated items.

d) If ORCA was completed online, the certification is all that is needed. As indicated above, the Representations and Certifications do not count against the 100 page limit.

e) Yes.

f) “Four pages double sided” means 4 physical sheets of paper that contain double-sided text. A maximum of four physical pages (8 pages double-sided) is permitted for each project for a maximum of 12 physical pages (24 pages double-sided) if the offeror so desires.

Q6. L10. Technical/Business Proposal. B(2)b (Key Personnel) specifies “…resumes not longer than 2 pages double sided in length…” Please clarify: does this mean 2 physical sheets of paper that contain double-sided text or 1 physical sheet of paper that contains double-sided text? Resume page length - Is each resume 2 pages or 4 pages total in count.

A6. “2 pages double sided in length” means two physical sheets of paper that contain double sided text (4 pages double-sided).

Q7. Page 80 permits the use of an 11"x17" foldout. Do these count as one page?

A7. A single 11” x 17” foldout counts as one physical page. If the offeror chooses to include information on both sides to make the page double-sided, then it counts as 2 pages.

Q8. L10. Technical/Business Proposal. B(4), 2nd paragraph mentions “The Past Performance Questionnaire…” Would EPA please provide the referenced questionnaire?

A8. The referenced questionnaire has been posted on fedbizopps.gov

Q9. L17(e) refers to a “…Client Authorization Letter (see Section J)…” Would EPA please provide the referenced Client Authorization Letter?

A9. The referenced letter has been posted on fedbizopps.gov

Q10. It is understood that there is only 1 rate for each labor category and that that rates applies for both the prime contractor and team subcontractors. According to RFP Section L, Cost/Pricing Proposal Instructions (1)(vi), the prime must show the buildup for their proposed rate. If a rate was developed using a team subcontractor's rate, should the team subcontractor provide the buildup (direct rate, fringe, overhead, G&A, fee) for their rate as well? If so, since this information is often considered confidential, is it acceptable for them to submit via sealed envelope?

A10. Any financial confidential business information from team subcontractors may be submitted in a sealed envelope.

Q11. What is to be submitted by team subcontractors in the cost/pricing volume? Financial Statements? Their qualifications for each labor category? Rate buildup? Indirect rate support etc. Or are these prime contractor requirements only?

A11. You should only submit information from subcontractors that affect your proposal as prime contractor. For example, if rates from a subcontractor’s buildup rate are used for labor categories, that information should be submitted to the government and may be submitted in a sealed envelope.

Q13. Which RFP Categories do you consider SCA and which SCA categories correspond to those RFP categories (i.e. Is an RFP driver a light, medium or heavy truck driver? Is an Environmental Specialist an SCA Environmental Technician or non-SCA?)

A13. Information regarding the wage determination to be used for proposal purposes has been posted on fedbizopps.gov.

Q14. Pricing tables have been included in the solicitation for the base period, option period 1, and option period 2. These tables include EPA provided estimates for ODC’s at $74,229,000, $33,100,000, and $16,495,300 respectively in the “total” or “extended” column of each table. Please clarify as to whether or not these line items should be subjected to G&A and/or profit (i.e., if these amounts should be moved to the “rate” or “quantity” column) or if the bidder is to assume that the provided number already include associated burdens.

A14. You should use the numbers as stated for the proposal. These numbers are for proposal purposes, not contractual purposes.

Q15. Does EPA desire to see resumes for contractor proposed “other personnel” that are not referenced in the RFP as Key Personnel (i.e., Project Manager), in addition to the requirements noted on Page 91 section (c).

A15. No.

Q16. a) The solicitation requires that "Plans and Procedures" should be submitted in an individual binder. Is only one copy (the original) required as part of the proposal package and three additional copies should be bound separately?

b) Submission of copies. The SF33 says that the original and three (3) copies of the proposal shall be submitted. The Final Solicitation states that the original and six (6) copies of the proposal shall be submitted. Please clarify the number of copies to be submitted.

A16. a) The three additional copies should be bound separately. However, packaging for mailing purposes is within the discretion of the firm submitting the proposal.

b) The technical proposal must include the original and six (6) copies but only three (3) copies are required for Price, Plans and Procedures.

Q18. When task orders are competed among the contract holders, will cost proposals include the dredging costs, the transportation costs, and the disposal costs, or will the cost proposals exclude these items initially with the intent that they will be competitively bid by the winning contract holder after award of the task order.

A18. Task orders competed among contract holders will include dredging. They will also include estimated transportation and disposal (T&D). T&D will likely be bid after award when actual quantities are better known.

Q19. At the pre-solicitation meeting, the Government stated that Task Orders would be a blend of firm fixed price line items and items bid on a unit cost basis. Please provide clarification on which items will be bid on a unit cost basis.

A19. Please see the answer to Q18 above. Particular items will depend on the task order.