SOW_Landscape Analytics revised Final.pdf

General Services Administration Public Buildings Service

Office of Design and Construction | Center for Urban Development

RFQ# PAD-2023-001

Statement of Work

Landscape Performance Analytics (Assessing Constructed Ecologies)

August 9, 2023

Landscape Performance Analytics

Statement of Work (SOW)

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Purpose

GSA’s Public Buildings Service’s (PBS) Office of Architecture and Engineering in Central Office is pursuing a contract to provide the Center for Urban Development with Site-Based Ecological Performance Analysis that will guide GSA in evaluating the environmental performance of built Federal landscapes at GSA project sites.

This statement of work is meant to provide environmental monitoring of key site performance indicators at two (2) representative Federal sites for a monitoring period of twelve (12) months and total performance period of eighteen (18) months to include the development of a research plan and present the findings in report format with recommendations that inform future GSA site development and management efforts.

1.2 Objective

1.2.1 To help GSA develop landscape performance measures that can gauge project performance under various Federal sustainability directives, including but not limited to the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) section 438 and the Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings;

1.2.2 To provide analysis for use by GSA regional and central offices to inform landscape operations and maintenance and design of capital projects;

1.2.3 To assess the design and installation of these site-based technologies for effectiveness to inform future site-based green infrastructural design including biotic and abiotic data;

1.2.4 To assess the potential cost avoidance achieved of such technologies on a specific site design including externalities often not accounted for in the cost considerations; and

1.2.5 To identify and quantify net environmental benefits provided by ecosystem services including carbon sequestration, air quality, water quality and to assess additional key factors including chemistry and condition of stormwater, heat-island effect, soil health, biodiversity, and phenology as it relates to climatic change.

1.3 Background

GSA projects must meet the requirements of various environmental directives, including EISA 438 (stormwater) and a 2015 Presidential directive on consideration of ecosystem services when shaping Federal projects. These and related directives such as the Nature Based Solutions Roadmap, the presidential memorandum on “Supporting the Health of

Honey Bees and Other Pollinators”, and “The Federal Floodplain Risk Management Standard” further help to establish aggressive water use, green infrastructure, nature based solutions, and other performance requirements and aspirations on Federal site work projects.

However, these factors lack usable performance indicators that GSA could use to set and monitor targets. Even for recently completed projects that were designed and constructed to support these directives, little is known about whether the delivered projects are performing after construction as intended during design.

Through GSA’s Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan, submitted to the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), GSA has committed to incorporate sustainability principles throughout agency policies and practices, and to implement them to the extent feasible in all agency real estate transactions.

The work envisioned under this statement of work would position GSA to better understand the performance of its landscapes, make more informed design decisions based on actual data, and better implement the above policy directives in the most effective and cost-efficient ways possible.

2.0 Scope of Work

Advances in environmental sensor technology, wireless communications, and software applications have enabled the development of low-cost, low-power multifunctional environmental sensors and sensor networks that can communicate environmental conditions to researchers, managers and the public in real time. This emerging technology generates information at unprecedented temporal and spatial scales, and offers transformational opportunities to better understand the physical, chemical and biological ‘pulse’ of both designed terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

3.0 Specific Requirements or Tasks

The statement of work is to install a base sensor program that monitors meteorology, hydrology, phenology, soil climate, and stream temperature and chemistry on yet to be determined sites, capturing site data and interpreting the results after a monitoring period of one year.

Specific sensor typologies, quantities, and distributions will be site dependent responding to unique site conditions such as design, scale, and location. The selected research team will propose a draft research program to be evaluated by GSA and allied experts. Examples of a proposed suite of sensors could include, but are not limited to the following:

● Air temperature

● Relative humidity

● Wind speed

● Wind direction

● Solar radiation

● Air quality sensors to monitor CO2

● Soil temperature (at various depths)

● Soil Water/Moisture (at various depths)

● Stream stage height and flow

● Water temperature

● Water electrical conductivity

● Water Nitrate

● Water FDOM (dissolved organic carbon)

● Water Dissolved Oxygen

● Water pH

● In-Situ Root Imaging

● Digital Plant Canopy Imaging

● Photosynthesis Plant Imaging

As described in the Requirements section, below, the work would include packaging and delivering the data to GSA in a format that is easy to use and share with various GSA business lines.

Data Sets:

All contractor produced data sets must be formatted to be compatible for use with standard professional design software (e.g., Google Earth; AutoCAD, ESRI, etc.). Unless otherwise agreed to in writing by the contracting officer, any documents produced under this contract are assumed to be for the unlimited non- commercial use of the Federal government.

Review and Selection of Analysis Sites:

The analysis envisioned under this contract would be conducted at two (2) GSA project sites.

GSA and the contractor would select the two sites after briefly considering a shortlist of four

(4) sites provided by GSA. The selection of the two sites for analysis would be based upon the contractor’s recommendation of the most appropriate sites that would meet the needs of this statement in a cost-effective matter.

Site 1. The first of the two sites would be at a GSA managed land port of entry (i.e., border station) in the Southwestern Region of the United States. This would enable analysis on factors germane to that particular climate context and facility program.

For planning purposes, the selected site would be within an approximately two-hour drive of a major commercial airport (e.g, San Diego, San Antonio, El Paso, Phoenix, or Tucson).

Site 2. The second of the two sites, would be at a GSA campus facility in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic or Great Lakes region of the United States, in an urban or suburban context.

Analysis would be tailored to the factors most germane to the selected site. For planning purposes, the selected site would be within an approximately two-hour drive of a major commercial airport.

3.1 Task 1 - Selection of Sites for Analysis (should not exceed 30 calendar days) Within 10 calendar days of the notice to proceed, GSA will provide the contractor with a shortlist of four (4) sites for analysis consideration and hold a brief discussion. The consultant will have up to the remaining 20 calendar days to recommend in a brief word document (max one page) two (2) of the sites to pursue for analysis to meet the stated objectives of this statement of work. Along with the selection of the sites, the memo should include the rationale for selection.

3.2 Task 2 - Identification of a Research Methodology to Assess One Calendar Year of Site Performance (should not exceed 60 calendar days) Sub-Task 2A: No more than 15 workdays after task 2 begins, the contractor will propose a research methodology for each of the analysis sites via a word document (one page max per site), appropriate for each of the specific installations. GSA will have 5 workdays to review and comment on the proposed approach for each site in written format. Comments to be addressed by contractor as part of Sub-Task 2B.

Sub-Task 2B: The contractor will address GSA comments from Sub-Task 2A and virtually present their research proposal for the sites to GSA and other project stakeholders within 20 workdays of task 2A completion. GSA will host this virtual meeting with select allied GSA experts, including the representatives from tenant agencies for comments and/ or approval of the proposed research plan and wireless sensor package. At this meeting GSA and the contractor will also discuss and start to coordinate Task 3 and Task 4 deliverable content and format. The contractor will have 5 workdays to address any comments or concerns raised from the meeting and resubmit the final research methodology document.

3.3 Task 3 - Site Investigation including Installing Sensors, Monitoring and Interpreting Results

Sub-Task 3A: The site investigation is intended to allow the contractor research team to test assumptions of the site, install sensors, take field measurements, understand as-built condition, and assess material condition. Sensors should be installed on site within 30 calendar days from the start of task 3. COR will identify the start date officially.

Sub-Task 3B: Team to provide GSA with periodic (quarterly) snapshots via both virtual meetings and written correspondence on data collection results and emerging data trends.

3.4 Task 4 - Research Brief and Executive Summary (should not exceed 3 months)

The contractor will prepare a research brief to assess the current performance conditions of the landscape including the numeric projections, the calculations, and the assumptions. An executive summary should accompany the brief, intended to distill the general summary of findings for a broader client audience. A draft brief should be submitted within 60 calendar days of task 4 beginning. GSA will have 5 workdays to review and provide comments. The contractor will have the remaining 21 calendar days to address GSA comments and submit the final brief.

4.0 Labor Requirements

GSA will allow the Offeror to propose the proper labor mix and level of effort they feel is the best fit to this requirement.

5.0 Deliverables

Deliverables acceptance will be subject to Government acceptance testing to include required functionality and review of documentation. The Government will review and comment on all draft and deliverables as specified in this document. Acceptance or rejection of deliverables shall be made by the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) in writing, giving the specific reason(s) for the rejection. The Contractor shall correct the rejected deliverable and return it on the date specified by the COR. While deliverables are under review, Contractors will continue work on follow-on activities to maintain the project schedule. All deliverables under this contract become Government property and are able to be publicly released under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), unless the Contractor marks them proprietary, and the Government concurs.

5.1 Schedule of Deliverables

The Contractor shall deliver the following deliverables consistent with the listed task(s):

Task Number Deliverable/ Format Time Frame

Task 1 Selection of two sites for analysis with rationale- Word document (max one page total)

20 calendar days

Task 2A Research Methodology for each site - Word document (max one page per site)

15 workdays

Task 2B Revised Research Methodology for each site- Word document (max one page per site)

5 workdays

Task 3B Quarterly (4) written correspondence snapshots on data collection results and emerging data trends- Word document (length as needed to show captured data and analysis of results)

Every 3 months

Task 4 Draft Research Brief with Executive Summary in PDFformat

60 calendar days

Task 4 Final Research Brief with Executive Summary in PDFformat

21 calendar days

6.0 Period of Performance

The period of performance for this contract shall be a total of eighteen (18) months from the date the project is approved and notice to proceed (NTP) is issued to the contractor.

A monitoring period of twelve (12) months and total performance period of eighteen (18) months to include the development of a research plan and present the findings in report format with recommendations that inform future GSA site development and management efforts.

Research Methodology Period: 9/15/2023 – 12/14/2023 Monitoring Period: 12/15/2023 – 12/14/2024 Research Brief Period:12/15/2024 – 3/14/2025

7.0 Travel

If travel is required based on this contract, the Government will negotiate travel expenses and authorize the travel in writing prior to the occurrence of travel. The Government will reimburse the Contractor for all travel expenses in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR).

Travel expenses shall be submitted on an incident basis.

This contract assumes a travel allowance of $10,000, based on the following assumptions.

Vendor will make two trips to each of the two sites to review conditions and install monitoring equipment. Each trip assumes airfare and one night stay for two employees of the contractor.

Local travel is not reimbursable. Local travel shall be considered within fifty (50) miles of the GSA Headquarters and within fifty (50) miles from each Regional Office Buildings.

8.0 Government Furnished Equipment/ Information (GFE/GFI)

Any use of Government information necessary for Contractor personnel to complete the task and deliverables; these individuals shall not be given GFI until their suitability clearance preliminary access (fingerprint check) has been successfully adjudicated. *Under the most recent Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) HSPD12 Standard Operating Procedure, a successful fingerprint clearance is sufficient to allow network access.

- There is no anticipated GFE

- The anticipated GFI is CAD survey of site, Construction documents, relevant architectural and engineering documents and design criteria from Task 1.

9.0 Security

The Contractor shall comply with GSA administrative, physical, and technical security controls to ensure that all Government’s security requirements are met. In addition, all Contractor personnel shall adhere to the GSA PBS’s rules and regulations. The Contractor is responsible for addressing any issues or concerns raised by PBS within five (5) workdays.

9.1 Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD-12) and Background Investigations Requirements

For any Contractor personnel performing work under this SOW who shall require access to GSA data, the Contractor(s) shall comply with the Homeland Security Presidential Directive-12 (HSPD-12) security clearance process. This means first obtaining a fingerprint clearance, which typically takes 3-4 weeks. At that point, the Authorizing Official (AO) can grant limited access to information on a case-by-case basis. Next, a preliminary favorable adjudication of their National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI) clearance level shall be received. This process can take 1 to 2 months. Only when a full NACI adjudication is received shall full access be granted.

The Contractor(s) shall submit the necessary paperwork to conduct a National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI) background investigation for each proposed personnel prior to working on the contract. Contractor(s) shall not be granted access to GSA data or drawings prior to a favorable response to the fingerprint portion of this background investigation. An individual Contractor’s failure to return satisfactory results from the background investigation shall result in immediate removal of that Contractor.

The Contractor shall be required to fund their employees’ security clearance and background investigation processes; the Government will not provide funding for these requirements. The Contractor shall be required to do this only for employees reviewing GSA provided data or drawings. A security clearance is not necessary for any contractor needing access to a federal facility; they will be escorted.

9.2 Contractor Staff Reporting Requirement

The Contractor shall maintain a Contractor Staff Roster and be made available to the Contracting Officer / Contracting Officer Representative within 2 business days of written request. The roster shall minimally contain the full name of each active employee assigned to this task and indicate the required Background Investigation Level for each Contractor individual in accordance with their submitted proposal.

Contractor Responsibilities:

a. The Contractor shall prescreen all personnel requiring access to GFI to ensure they maintain the appropriate Background Investigation, and are able to read, write, and clearly speak and understand the English language.

b. The Contractor shall bear the expense of obtaining background investigations.

c. Within 3 business days after award, the Contractor shall provide a roster of Contractor and Subcontractor employees to the COR to begin their background investigations. At the time the roster is provided the Contractor shall provide a completed Contractor Information Worksheet (CIW). This document is updated frequently, for reference the Contractor may refer to the COR and GSA Insite page after award. The roster shall contain the Contractor’s Full Name and individual background investigation level requirement.

d. The Contractor should coordinate the location of the nearest GSA fingerprinting office through the COR. Only electronic fingerprints are authorized.

e. The Contractor personnel will receive an email notification from the Security and Investigation Center (SIC), through the Electronics Questionnaire for Investigations Processing (e-QIP) identifying the website link that includes detailed instructions regarding completion of the investigation documents (SF85, SF85P, or SF86). The Contractor personnel shall submit all required information related to their background investigations utilizing the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) Electronic Questionnaire for Investigations Processing (e-QIP).

f. The Contractor is to certify and release the e-QIP document, print and sign the signature pages, and send them following the instructions provided by e-QIP.

g. The Contractor shall be responsible for the actions of all personnel provided to work for the Government under this contract. In the event that damages arise from work performed by Contractor provided personnel, under the auspices of this contract, the Contractor shall be responsible for all resources necessary to remedy the incident.

h. A Contractor may be granted unescorted access to GSA facilities with a favorably adjudicated clearance consummate with the access required. There is no waiver or temporary access to Government-furnished Information without the required favorably adjudicated clearance.

i. The investigative history for Contractor personnel working under this contract must be maintained in the database of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

j. The Contractor, when notified of an unfavorable adjudicated background investigation on a Contractor employee as determined by the Government, shall immediately withdraw the employee from consideration in working under the contract.

k. Failure to comply with the Contractor personnel security investigative requirements may result in termination of the contract for default.

9.3Privacy Act

Work on this contract will require personnel to have access to Privacy Information. Personnel shall adhere to the Privacy Act, Title 5 of the U.S. Code, Section 552a and applicable agency rules and regulations.

9.4 Protection of Information

Any GSA-specific data or information that might be shared with the vendor for the sole purpose to execute the tasks under this contract may not be shared in any format (viewing demos, databases, presentations, etc.) or under any circumstance without the expressed written consent of the Center for Urban Development Program.

This includes:

- CAD survey of site

- Construction Documents

- Relevant architectural and engineering documents and design criteria during task 1

The Contractor shall be responsible for properly protecting all information used, gathered, or developed as a result of work under the contract. In addition, the Contractor shall protect all government data, equipment, or information by treating the material as sensitive. SBU information, data, and/or equipment shall only be disclosed to authorize personnel. The Contractor shall ensure that appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards are established to ensure the security and confidentiality of this information, data, and/or equipment is properly protected. When no longer required, this information, data, and/or equipment shall be returned to Government control, destroyed, or held until otherwise directed. Items returned to the Government will be hand carried or mailed to the COR using certified mail. The Contractor shall destroy unneeded items by burning, shredding, or any other method that precludes the reconstruction of the material.

9.5 Non-Disclosure Agreements

If determined to be required by the CO, Contractor, and their personnel shall be required to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).

9.6 Organizational Conflict of Interest

FAR Subpart 9.5, Organizational Conflicts of Interest, applies. If the CO determines that an offeror may have a potential organizational conflict of interest, then the Contractor shall be required to submit a mitigation plan and, if awarded, comply with any procedures put in place to avoid or mitigate conflicts.

10.0 .0 Administration

10.1 GSA Electronic Invoicing

All invoicing shall be done electronically. Password and electronic invoice access shall be obtained through GSA web site http://www.finance.gsa.gov. Invoices shall be itemized as per the specific line items utilized during that billing period.

Billing and payment shall be accomplished in accordance with this paragraph. The Contractor shall have the invoice certified by the client representative. The Contractor’s invoice shall be for no less than one month. The Contractor shall invoice only for the hours, travel, and/or unique services ordered by GSA and actually used in direct support of the client representative’s project.

A copy of the Government’s document (receiving report) accepting the covered services shall accompany invoices submitted for payment. A copy of the invoice shall be submitted via email to the Government PM, along with the monthly status reports, at the same time that it is submitted for payment. Failure to comply with the procedures outlined above shall result in your payment being delayed.

The Contractor shall submit with a GSA Form 1142- Release of Claims with submission of the final invoice at the end of the period of performance. A copy of the form should be sent via email to the Contracting Officer identified in Block 26A of the award document (GSA Form

10.2 Inspection and Acceptance

The Government will have fifteen (15) workdays to complete the review of each deliverable and accept or reject the deliverable by giving written notice. When the Government fails to complete the review within the review period, the deliverable shall become acceptable, unless an extension of the review period is requested and mutually agreed upon. In the event of rejection of any deliverable, the Contractor shall be notified in writing by the Government PM or CO, giving the specific reason(s) for the rejection. The Contractor shall have five (5) business days to correct the rejected deliverable and return it to the Government PM. The Contractor shall be allowed one (1) resubmission of deliverables.

10.3 Cancellation of Orders

The Government has the right to cancel BPA Calls if the requirement is eliminated, changed, or no longer needed. The Government will notify the BPA Holder, in writing thirty (30) calendar days prior to the stop work date.

10.4 Unauthorized Commitment

The Government PM or any other client representative is not authorized to change any of the terms and conditions of the resultant BPA Calls. Changes, if any, shall be made by the CO only.

10.5 Personal Services

The Government has determined that in order to satisfy the requirements in this SOW the use of a PBS BPA is in the best interest of the Government, economic and other factors considered, and this BPA is not being used to procure personal services prohibited by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 37.104 titled "Personal Services Contract."

10. FAR/ GSAM Clauses

The following FAR Clauses are made part of this procurement:

52.217-5 EVALUATIONS OF OPTIONS (JUL 1990)

Except when it is determined in accordance with FAR 17.206(b) not to be in the Government’s best interests, the Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. Evaluation of options will not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s).

52.217-8 OPTION TO EXTEND SERVICES (NOV 1999)

The Government may require continued performance of any services within the limits and at the rates specified in the contract. These rates may be adjusted only as a result of revisions to prevailing labor rates provided by the Secretary of Labor. The option provision may be exercised more than once, but the total extension of performance hereunder shall not exceed six months.

The CO may exercise the option by written notice to the Contractor within thirty calendar days prior to contract expiration.

52.217-9 OPTION TO EXTEND THE TERM OF THE CONTRACT (MAR 2000)

a. The Government may extend the term of this contract by written notice to the Contractor within ten calendar days before the contract expires; provided that the Government gives the Contractor a preliminary written notice of its intent to extend at least thirty calendar days before the contract expires. The preliminary notice does not commit the Government to an extension.

b. If the Government exercises this option then the extended contract shall be considered to include this option clause.

c. The total duration of this contract, including the exercise of any options under this clause, shall not exceed five (5) years.

52.204-14 SERVICE CONTRACT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS (JAN 2014) a.

Definition.

First-tier subcontract means a subcontract awarded directly by the Contractor for the purpose of acquiring supplies or services (including construction) for performance of a prime contract. It does not include the Contractor’s supplier agreements with vendors, such as long-term arrangements for materials or supplies that benefit multiple contracts and/or the costs of which are normally applied to a Contractor’s general and administrative expenses or indirect costs.

b. The Contractor shall report, in accordance with paragraphs (c) and (d) of this clause, annually by October 31, for services performed under this contract during the preceding Government fiscal year (October 1–September 30).

c. The Contractor shall report the following information:

1. Contract number and, as applicable, order number.

2. The total dollar amount invoiced for services performed during the previous

Government fiscal year under the contract.

3. The number of Contractor direct labor hours expended on the services performed during the previous Government fiscal year.

4. Data reported by subcontractors under paragraph (f) of this clause.

d. The information required in paragraph (c) of this clause shall be submitted via the internet at www.sam.gov. (See SAM User Guide). If the Contractor fails to submit the report in a timely manner, the contracting officer will exercise appropriate contractual remedies. In addition, the Contracting Officer will make the Contractor’s failure to comply with the reporting requirements a part of the Contractor’s performance information under FAR subpart 42.15.

e. Agencies will review Contractor reported information for reasonableness and consistency with available contract information. In the event the agency believes that revisions to the Contractor reported information are warranted, the agency will notify the Contractor no later than November 15. By November 30, the Contractor shall revise the report, or document its rationale for the agency.

f. (1) The Contractor shall require each first-tier subcontractor providing services under this contract, with subcontract(s) each valued at or above the thresholds set forth in 4.1703(a)(2), to provide the following detailed information to the Contractor in sufficient time to submit the report:

i. Subcontract number (including subcontractor name and DUNS number); and

ii. The number of first-tier subcontractor direct-labor hours expended on the services performed during the previous Government fiscal year.

iii. The Contractor shall advise the subcontractor that the information will be made available to the public as required by section 743 of Division C of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010.

11.0 Government Points of Contact

On behalf of the GSA Contracting Officer (CO), the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) is responsible for the general administration of this Work Order. The COR is responsible for the review/acceptance of all task deliverables. This individual will serve as the Government point of contact concerning invoicing, information exchange, submission review, and payment. Nothing said by the COR shall be construed to change the contract requirements unless supported in writing by the CO.

Amber Levofsky Contracting Officer Representative (COR)

GSA OAE (PA)

1800 F Street NW, Wash DC 20405 Amber.levofsky@gsa.gov 202-412-2064

Renee Pilone Alternate Contracting Officer Representative (ACOR)

GSA OAE (PA)

1800 F Street NW, Wash DC 20405 Renee.pilone@gsa.gov 202-841-0601

Brandon Hartz Project Lead

GSA OAE (PA)

1800 F Street NW, Wash DC 20405 brandon.hartz@gsa.gov 202-304-0937 mailto:Renee.pilone@gsa.gov mailto:Renee.pilone@gsa.gov mailto:brandon.hartz@gsa.gov

Request for Quotes (RFQ)

12.0 Quote Submission

Offerors shall prepare and deliver technical and price quotes that shall be evaluated in determining the “best value” quote. All quotes shall be submitted via email to laurie.schimmel@gsa.gov by 10:00 am Eastern Time (ET), Wednesday August 30, 2023. The price quote shall be a separate volume, .pdf attachment as well as the Excel version without formulas, from the technical volume. A minimum of four (4) electronic documents shall be submitted for this RFQ:

Technical PDF narrative volume, named (Offeror's Name) – Technical Volume

Price PDF narrative volume, named (Offeror’s Name) – Price Volume

Price Excel template document, named (Offeror’s Name) - Required Price Quote

Resumes, with each individual file labeled as, (Offeror’s Name) – Resume of (Individual Last Name)

Offerors may add on to the file names after this defined piece.

Large email attachments can be delayed during regular business hours. GSA has an attachment size limit of 20 MB. If this is a problem, submit as multiple emails with small attachments, or with enough time to clear the server delays. Quotes not time stamped in the receiving email inbox, at or earlier than the due date and time, will be late and not accepted. Any established agreements shall be included as an attachment (not included as part of the overall page count) to the technical narrative volume in order to be considered.

The Technical Narrative including Resumes shall all be delivered as electronic documents and formatted to fit on 8 1/2” by 11” paper with no less than 1” margins on all four sides of each page. The font shall be Times New Roman, and the size of all text shall not be less than 12pt.

The spacing between lines (leading) shall not be less than 1.15em (this print value is equivalent to 1.5 line spacing in Microsoft Word) or 115% of the font size. Vendor submitted graphs, tables, images, charts, etc. must use font size not less than Times Roman size 10. All material that is not originally authored by the Offeror (including images, tables or statements) shall credit in the original author (citation reference format is at the discretion of the Offeror).

Questions regarding the SOW or RFQ may be submitted to laurie.schimmel@gsa.gov, by 11:00 am Eastern Time (ET), Wednesday August 23, 2023, using the format in Attachment A - Q&A Format Template. Responses to all Offerors questions will be emailed to all Offerors as an amendment to the RFQ.

13.0 Methodology for Award

Award will be based on the best value to the Government, price and other factors considered, pursuant to FAR Section 8.4.

Best value evaluation is, in and of itself, a subjective assessment by the Government of the proposed solution that provides the optimal results to the Government, price and other factors considered. Subjectivity is inherent in the process and is the cornerstone of the source selection decision. In an effort to provide insight to the offerors as to the decision-making process of the Government, the following information is provided:

Evaluation will be made on three (3) technical factors – 1) Management Approach, 2) Professional Experience, and 3) Past Performance. In the evaluation, the Management Approach is significantly more important than the Professional Experience and Past Performance Factor, which are both of equal importance. Proposals not meeting all submission criteria of Section 12 will be evaluated as technically deficient. In the evaluation, the non-price evaluation factors when considered together are significantly more important than price. While price is not as important as technical, it does have significance to the Government.

The Government will perform a price/technical trade-off analysis in accordance with the above methodology and select the offer that provides the best value. The Government intends to use the trade-off process in selecting a quote that is most advantageous. The trade-off process is a method of evaluating price and other factors as specified in the RFQ to select the offer that provides the best value to the Government. The process permits trade-offs among price and technical factors. Because the trade-off process allows award to the Offerors that provides the government with the best value, it allows the government to accept other than the highest technically rated offer and other than the lowest priced offer.

The award may be made without FAR Part 8 discussions; therefore, vendors are requested to submit quotes to the Government on the most favorable terms from a technical and price standpoint.

This procurement will be conducted in accordance with FAR 8.4. As such, debriefing as described in FAR 15.506 is NOT applicable in this instance. Offeror(s) are put on notice that only a brief explanation of the basis for the award decision shall be provided as prescribed by FAR 8.405-2(d), and only if requested in writing.

14.0 Technical Evaluation

14.1 Technical Evaluation Factor 1: Management Approach

Offerors will be evaluated based on their plan for approaching the project, given the goals expressed in the statement of work.

Offerors must present a management approach that demonstrates that they have a sophisticated grasp on the Federal government’s goals under this statement of work, a thoughtful understanding of the Federal operating environment, and a technically sound strategy to meet those goals.

14.2 Technical Evaluation Factor 2: Professional Experience

Offerors will provide resumes for key members of the project team. Where members of the project team are not direct employees of the firm submitting the proposal, the resume must highlight the team member’s experience working with the submitting firm.

The depth and breadth of the team’s experience must be sufficient to conduct the analysis and, importantly, provide a high level of confidence in their resulting recommendations.

Subcontractors must have past experience working with the principal firm.

14.3 Technical Evaluation Factor 3: Past Performance

Offerors will be evaluated on their past performance in two ways:

1) Summaries of Past Projects. Offerors must provide at least five (5) brief summaries of landscapes for which they consulted and provided recommendations that were germane to this statement of work. The summary must briefly (no more than one page for each project) describe each subject project site, outline the firm’s approach to the work, explain the firm’s recommendations, and summarize the outcome. Each project summary must include a client reference with name and contact info; GSA will check references as it deems necessary to gauge adequacy and relevance of past performance.

2) Work Sample. Offerors must provide at least one complete sample of a report or recommendation that shows the firm’s ability to meet the requirement; alternatively, if such materials are unable to be shared for proprietary reasons, the firm may submit a 2-3 page case study that provides a more detailed description of their approach to the project.

The Offeror's past performance must include at least five (5) projects where the firm’s involvement is determined to be relevant to the statement of work and a work sample where technical reviewers find that the work was conducted at a high degree of professional competence.

15.0 Price Evaluation

This award will be a firm fixed price order. The Offeror shall submit pricing for task delineated by period of performance. GSA seeks discounts, or price reductions, from the Offeror’s GSA Schedule rates. The Offerors’ total order price and individual Task pricing shall be evaluated and compared, including any discounts offered. GSA will evaluate the Offeror’s pricing for competitiveness, risk to the Government, and overall best value to the Government. Offerors’ pricing shall establish confidence for successful performance and completion of the SOW requirements.

The Offeror shall complete the attached Attachment B - Required Price Quote Template and shall submit the document as an individual Microsoft Excel file entitled (Offeror’s Name) - Required Price Quote.

The narrative section of the price quote shall be named (Offeror’s Name) – Price Volume.

16.0 Summary of Evaluation

The proposal font must be font style Times Roman size 12. Graphs and charts must use font size not less than 10. The evaluation will not consider any information on pages exceeding the page limitation.

Technical Quote Page Limit and Submission Process

Submission Item Required Template

Evaluation Factor 1 Maximum of seven (7) pages in the Technical Quote

Management Approach

N/A

Evaluation Factor 2 Maximum of five (5) pages in the Technical Quote (not including pages containing resumes)

Professional Experience

N/A

Evaluation Factor 2 Maximum of two (2) pages per each candidate's resume, and one (1) certification page. Maximum of 12 pages for resumes and 4 certification pages.

Resumes N/A

Evaluation Factor 3 Maximum of five (5) pages in the Technical Quote (not including the work sample)

Past Performance- 5 project briefs

N/A

Evaluation Factor 3 Variable length for work sample or maximum three (3) pages for case study summary

Past Performance-work sample or case study summary

N/A

Price Quote Page Limit and Submission Process

Submission Item Required Template

Price Evaluation

Maximum of five (5) pages

Price Narrative N/A

Price Evaluation

Excel Price Template Price Yes

ATTACHMENTS

Attachment A - Q&A Template Attachment A - attached separately through an Excel file.

Attachment B - Required Price Quote Template Attachment B - attached separately through an Excel file.

15.0 Price Evaluation