June_29_Questions_With_Answers_for_US_Army_Women's_Museum.pdf

June 29, 2017

Questions submitted for Army Women’s Museum Solicitation Number W56HZV-17-R-9997.

1. Is there a proposed budget or budget range for this project that can be shared with the proposers?

Answer: No

2. Is media production required for this project or is the intention of the museum to turn over finished plug in media pieces?

Answer: Media production is not part of the contract. The media will be produced by the museum and turned over to the contractor for loading onto the media players.

3. Lighting design and lighting hardware appear to be the responsibility of the contractor. Where should pricing for lighting design and hardware be listed in the pricing document?

Answer: Any designing would be included in the exhibit design pricing/job under line item 0001 of the solicitation. The contractor is responsible for installing the electrical or signal cable within the exhibit components it is constructing including the walls it builds. Any power that needs to be run to the exhibit components shall be done by the base department of public works. The base department of public works shall install all signal wires outside the contractor's components. This work will include the connection of the contractor's electrical components to the permanent electrical system.

4. Is this an RFP for Design Services, as indicated in the Section SF 1449 Continuation sheets (summarized below), which largely refer to Design tasks. Or is this for Fabrication, for which there are some references here and there in the document? It would be difficult to price fabrication, unless based on completed design documents.

Answer: This contract is for design and fabrication.

5. What does ITEM 0001 entail, that items 0003, and A003 thru A010, do not?

Answer: A001 is the requirement that the contractor develop a schedule of deliverables to allow the government to see when they can expect the items called out in the contract specifically items A003 thru A010. Items A003 thru A010 are Different design deliverables.

6. Does Item 0002 contain all of the items listed in Answer 1, “Answers_to_Further_Questions_- _June_22_2017.doc? (Does this mean that the fabrication costs will be paid for in one lump sum at the end of the contract after the exhibits are installed? Answer: Yes. Is there an option to modify this?

Answer: No. ):

Fabrication-Shop drawings

Materials-Fabrication

Fabrication-samples/mock ups

Fabrication-graphic proofs

Fabrication- exhibit components

Delivery Installation

Answer: We are not sure what else this question is referring to.

7. How much review time, after each submittal, needs to be allowed for the approval of each ITEM?

Answer: The government has 5 business days to send comments to the contractor.

8. Allowing a nominal time of 2 months per design phase does not leave any time for fabrication, let alone approval times.

ITEM A003 50% Concept Design Package

ITEM A004 100% Concept Design Package

ITEM A005 35% Design Development Package ITEM A006 100% Design Development Package

ITEM A007 50% Final design Package

ITEM A008 Graphic PDF Proof Package

ITEM A009 90% Final design Package

ITEM A010 100% Final Digital Art

Allowing only 1 month for an abbreviated design process, plus a 2-week review period, still takes up 9 months of a year. This does not allow adequate time for fabrication/installation. Please verify that completion date for design plus fabrication is 1 year from contract initiation.

Answer: Contract including the fabrication must be done within 1 year of the start of the contract. We are going to amend the RFP that these items A001 – A013 will be separately priced out, and only line item 0003 for contractor manpower reporting (CMR) will remain not separately priced (NSP).

9. We understand the 2 macro objects will be on site. When will any necessary conservation/restoration work be completed, and the objects ready to install? Who is responsible for engineering mounts, and rigging? How should bidders allow for these costs?

Answer: The objects need no conservation work. They will be delivered to the building at the start of the contractors installation work. The engineering and construction of the mounts will be done by the contractor.

10. Is the floor slab engineered to support the macro object at any location?

Answer: The entire floor will support the macros.

11. Will story lines be provided by the CMH at the start of the project? If not, when will they be provided?

When will final text be provided?

Answer: The government will provide an object list with object dimensions and an image of the object, an image list, the storyline and sample text at the contract Start of Work meeting. Hard copies of images to be used or low-resolution digital image files will be supplied no later than three weeks after the Start of Work meeting. The government will also provide the actual objects to be used in the exhibits. Final text will be supplied to the contractor no later than 30 days from the start of the contract.

12. How large are the four dioramas? How many figures are included in each? Do they represent specific individuals (requiring “portrait” figures)?

Answer: The dioramas range is size from 9’ x 9’ to 12’ x 12’. Each diorama will have one figure. The figures do not represent a specific individual.

13. Are Architectural or Engineering services required for the “rotunda” area? Will the Owner take care of any structural work such as demising walls, and providing and installing power and signal cables to the appropriate locations?

Answer: No architectural or engineering services are required. Demising walls within the exhibit are the responsibility of the contractor. Any electrical within those walls shall be supplied and installed by the contractor. Final hookup to the existing electrical system shall be done by the base Department of Public works. The base department of public works will run all electrical necessary outside of the contractor fabricated exhibit components to make the hookup

14. As above, will the Owner provide and install any conduits, power or signal cable for the ambient and case lighting?

Answer: The contractor is responsible for installing the electrical or signal cable within the exhibit components it is constructing including the walls it builds. Any power that needs to be run to the exhibit components shall be done by the base department of public works. The base department of public works shall install all signal wires outside the contractor’s components. This work will include the connection of the contractor’s electrical components to the permanent electrical system.

15. Do you have an interpretive plan for the content in the exhibit? Will this be provided to the firm to use in developing the visitor experience and design of the exhibit?

Answer: An interpretive plan will be provided at the kickoff meeting.

16. Do you anticipate writing scripts for the media pieces or will the design firm create these?

Answer: The scripts will be written and provided to the design firm.

17. Are there concepts created yet for the interactives and media pieces in each of the spaces? Do you have any details on these that could help inform our budget and proposal?

Answer: The museum is currently working on the interactive and media pieces. The contractor is not responsible for developing these.

18. Will the museum be responsible for artifact curation? For example: selecting locations for artifacts, grouping artifacts into cases, etc.

Answer: The museum has selected all of the objects. The information the contractor receives at the kick off meeting will show which object goes in each section of the exhibit. The grouping of the objects into cases will be done by the designer with the assistance of the museum staff. The same is true regarding the object layouts in the cases.

19. Do you have concepts for the dioramas?

Answer: No

20. Do you have any floor plan and elevation drawings available of the proposed museum space from the general building contractor?

Answer: These will be provided at the contract kickoff meeting.

21. Will you be sending an agenda for the July 6 walk-through?

Answer: An orientation for the attendees is in order - for them to "see" the 10,000 sq ft of design/build area - with a tour of the current exhibit spaces, with escort through the new construction area, and with some of the background history from the storyline provided. Attendees arriving late will miss some of this information.

22. Is there information we need to provide as part of our proposal submission regarding manpower or reporting of manpower?

Answer: Please read the clause on page 53 of the RFP and provide the information per following: “While inputs may be reported any time during the FY, all data shall be reported no later than October 31 of each calendar year.” The Army CMRA Site's address is now https://armycmra.dmdc.osd.mil. Please update your bookmarks accordingly. ECMRA remains open for FY16 reporting until further notice. Please email the Army Support Desk with any issues accessing the Army CMR @ dod.ecmra-army-support-desk@mail.mil.