QA_I_-_Gillem_Enclave.pdf

Question & Answers Part I Gillem Enclave

RFP # SPE600-12-R-0821

1. Regarding -0002 B.19.40 ECONOMIC PRICE ADJUSTMENT – PRICE INDEX UTILITY SERVICES (DLA ENERGY JAN 2012) This appears to specify the use of the CPI-U as the only acceptable index for economic price adjustment. I would like to respectfully suggest that CPI-U is not particularly valid for the industrial type activities in this requirement. As you know, CPI mean Consumer Price Index, a market basket of consumer goods, not industrial goods, which are more subject to commodities costs like steel, cooper and aluminum. Furthermore, the U refers to urban, and as you know, military bases are not generally located in urban areas. May I suggest that DLA-Energy consider permitting the use of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics' Producer Price Index Industry Data for Electric Power Distribution, SIC 221122, Series ID: PCU 221122221122 or NDU22112222112244 which provide accurate indexing of the industry, is a Government generated index and annually is far more accurate of price changes.

Government Response: Please see Section L.7.9 of the subject RFP, if someone wishes to submit an alternate index.

2. After reading L.7.9, may we propose a non-governmental but industry recognized index? I'm specifically referring to Handy-Whitman.

Government Response: In accordance with RFP Section L.7.9, it must be a Government published index or indices.

3. If we proposal [sic] an alternate index, is that an alternate proposal? And must we therefore propose a regular proposal using CPI-U?

Government Response: No, proposing an alternate index is not an alternate proposal. Be sure to follow the instructions in RFP Section L.7.9 to describe it thoroughly. You do not have to also propose with the CPI-U unless you think it is helpful to your proposal.

4. Where are we to "specify (insert)" the alternate index proposed? In the price proposal? or in the Vol III, Contract Documentation where the reps and certs belong?

Government Response: Insert the changed I-0002 in the pricing volume.

5. Also, are the deviations to CAS and cost principles still in force and effect? Could you provide copies of the latest please.

Government Response: The CAS Waiver and FAR 31 deviation are still in effect. Instructions for those items and links to the information are in the RFP Section L.6.2.1.

6. We are in receipt of the solicitation and supporting documents for Fort Gillem Enclave, GA and we have previously declared our interest to pursue the water distribution and wastewater collection systems. Will there be an opportunity for scheduling an additional site visit on the systems?

SPE600-12-R-0821 Page 2 of 4 Gillem Enclave Q&A’s Part I

Government Response: Please see Section L.2.1.6 Site Visits and Pre-proposal Conferences of Solicitation SPE600-12-R-0821 which states “NOTE: At any time, offerors may request additional site visits through the Contracting Officer.”

7. Could you please identify the dates and times for the site visit and preproposal conference.

Government Response: The pre-proposal conference and site visits are scheduled for November 14 and November 15, 2012 respectively. An amendment to the solicitation will follow.

8. Section JA1.3.7 Planning and Programming, requires offerors/contractor to perform numerous activities at no additional cost, including 1) development of RFAs; 2) meetings for un-detailed Milcon projects; 3) design for growth; 4) design for demolition; 6) participate in strategic planning; 7) support to develop budget estimates. The last requirement, maintaining open dialogue is a given. However, the listed requirements are undefined. Without some estimate of the frequency, duration and requirements for each of these, the bidders will not be bidding the same and will not be able to adequately estimate the workload.

Government Response: Gillem Enclave is a very small installation. Expected growth is minimal.

Expectation of MILCON projects is minimal. The purpose of this requirement is to allow the contractor to be a partner with the installation in these types of activities, but at Gillem, these activities will be minimal. The Government estimates this effort, on average, would be no more than one FTE for all utility systems.

9. I cannot find a reference to the cost comparison with existing Government operations. Is the selected bidder competing on price against existing operations, as previous UP solicitations, and by how much must the winner beat the existing price?

Government Response: Previous solicitations have compared costs to the Government Should Cost Estimate, not existing operations. Please review 10 U.S.C §2688 for additional information on the conveyance decision, as noted in Section M.3. All proposals will be compared against the Government Should Cost Estimate. Selection of the contractor will be based on the best value determination consistent with evaluation factors and subfactors in Section M of the RFP.

10. JA1.3.24 Emergency Operations, discusses personnel "dedicated" to the utility system and states as last sentence, " A minimal staff shall remain in service to Gillem Enclave at all times."

Does this mean that the contractor must 1)maintain staff at the Enclave during business hours, 2) at all times round-the-clock, or 3) just have staff available somewhere (even off post) that are able to respond as necessary to meet requirements?

Government Response: It means that the contractor must be prepared to provide service to the Enclave that meets the service requirement response times. It is up to the contractor to determine how it will best be able to meet those requirements.

11. JA1. 3.29 states " The Contractor will provide Gillem Enclave three hard copies and one electronic copy of the Contractor's standards and regulations within 45 days after contract start date." To what standards and regulations is this referencing? Is this referring to the proposal submittal of performance standards and specification required in L.4.2.3 for the Table L-1? If the contractor uses NEC standards, SPE600-12-R-0821 Page 3 of 4 does the Government want a copy of the NEC manual submitted? If the Contractor uses federal RUS standards published in the Federal Register, does the Government require copies of the Federal Register?

Government Response: The standards referenced in the above statement are the contractor’s own standards. If the contractor follows NEC standards, for example, the Government does not expect the contractor to submit the NEC manual. However, in its submission of its own standards, it should clearly state that it will also follow NEC standards.

12. JA1.3.5 states "The contractor and its employees shall register all vehicles (contractor-owned and employee-owned) with the Gillem Enclave Provost Marshal." This seems to need some clarification regarding the vehicles needing registration. I would assume the Government means only all vehicles that might be entering the facility???

Government Response: The Government means only all vehicles that might be entering the facility.

13. JA1.3.10 states" the contractor is required to provide an updated set of utility maps (complete) annually with the Capital Plan." JA.1.6 Monthly submittals does not reference a Capital Plan. Is the Capital Plan the requirement for Annual SDC and R&R Plan of C.11.4? To what does the word "complete" refer to? Please explain a "complete" set of utility maps.

Government Response: The Capital Plan referenced in JA1.3.10 is the same plan referenced in C.11.4.

That plan is required annually, thus it does not appear in the list of monthly submittals. A “complete” set of maps means that the contractor should submit a complete set of utility maps on an annual basis, not simply maps of changes made to the system over the previous year.

14. Ref JA1.3.1, will the Government provide telephone to cubicles administrative spaces? Will the Government provide telephone to the exterior storage/shop? Are utilities available for the exterior storage/shop area?

Government Response: Voice and data drops exist in the existing cubicles. The Network Enterprise workers may have to reactivate those drops so that the contractor personnel can access the NIPRNET.

Contractors that have NIPRNET access must have a system administrator sponsor. The system administrator will remotely allow individual contractor employees access. The Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) will nominate each individual and send the nomination forms, contract information and COR information to the system administrator. Annual DoD Information Assurance Awareness Training, testing and certificates are required of each employee. Exterior voice service does not exist. Other utilities are in the immediate area of the storage location.

15. Ref C.11.5.3, Third Party Construction. Can the Government explain why the Contractor should permit third party construction to be added to the Contractor's system. It would seem that the Government is selling all of the existing utility system [sic] and asking the Contractor to O&M it using the Contractor's standards. On what basis would the Government require a third party to perform Contractor services? How often does the Government intend to have this happen?

Government Response: The Government reserves the right to determine who will construct new facilities on the installation. The Government prefers that the system owner construct all new

SPE600-12-R-0821 Page 4 of 4 infrastructure, however, the owner must be able to meet the Government’s requirements, and pricing for the effort must be fair and reasonable. The Government anticipates that additional construction requirements at Gillem Enclave are minimal. The existing systems can support some additional development. If major MILCON projects occur, they would use existing capacities rather than requiring overhaul of the system.

16. In looking at L.4.2.1 Service Standards Criteria, Table L-1 for the electric system, I see 4th row down, Sampling/Analysis. I understand how that might apply to W/W but we do not sample or analyze electricity. Can you please provide clarification?

Government Response: Please note that the solicitation does not require the offeror to provide electricity, but to own, operate, and maintain the electrical distribution system. The Government would expect that Sampling/Analysis would include, but not be limited to, transformer oil sampling, analysis of voltage meters, etc. Each offeror should determine what sampling or analysis of the system it will perform as a system owner. If an offeror believes that one of the criteria in the table is not applicable, it should so state in its proposal along with the rationale.