Instuctions to Bidders_20April2020.pdf

1.0 BID SUBMISSION, PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS, AND CONTENT

These instructions are designed to ensure the submission of necessary information to provide clear understanding and the comprehensive evaluation of bids. In the Sealed Bidding procedures, price will determine the “Apparent Low Bid;” however, the submission of a low bid does not in and of itself determine responsibility of a bidder or a fair and reasonable price. Therefore, it is necessary to require additional information in order that the Contracting Officer may make an award to the lowest, overall priced, responsible bidder.

2.0 BID SUBMISSION

2.1. INSTRUCTIONS

a. Sealed Bids shall be submitted prior to 3:00 PM (PDT) on Thursday, 14 May 2020 as identified on block 13 of the Standard Form (SF) 1442, as follows:

One (1) digital/electronic copy shall be mailed electronically to Ms. Rosa I. Diaz at rosa.i.diaz.civ@mail.mil with W911S8-20-B-0002 Protective Coatings on the subject line.

b. No other means of submission is allowed.

c. Bidders must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database (https://www.sam.gov), with NAICS code 238320, Painting and Wall Covering Contractors, in order to be considered for award.

d. Any bid, modification, or revision, received after the exact time specified for receipt of bids will be considered late and will not be considered. Late bids will be processed as indicated in FAR Part 14.304.

e. The CS is the sole point of contact for this procurement. Address all questions or concerns regarding this solicitation, in writing, to the CS. Please, identify the applicable Statement of Work (SOW) paragraph number or solicitation reference with each question. The deadline for submission of questions is Monday, 20 April 2020 at 3:00 PM (PDT).

2.2. BID OPENING

The Government will host a public bid opening on Thursday, 14 May 2020 at 3:30 PM (PDT), which will be held at Building 2015 N 4th Street, JBLM, WA 98433. However, in light of the COVID-19 outbreak and Governor Inslee’s order of 23 March 2020, regarding social distancing practices, this event will be held only via teleconference. Due to the established protocols to provide teleconferencing services, the Government intends to publish further instructions 72-96 hours prior to the stated bid closing time/date, which will include the teleconference number and specific relevant details of that process. Should the solicitation period need to be extended, referenced instructions will be provided 72-96 hours prior to the new bid closing time/date.

3.0 General Instructions

3.1. The basis of award for this requirement is price and price-related factors IAW FAR 14.101(e). (See Evaluation Factors for Award.) Noncompliance with the Invitation for Bids (IFB) requirements may hamper the Government’s ability to properly evaluate the bid and may be grounds to eliminate the bid from further consideration for contract award.

3.2. Submission of the documentation specified below will constitute the Bidder's acceptance of the terms and conditions of the IFB, concurrence with the SOW and contract type.

3.3. It is the Government’s intention to award without discussions IAW FAR sub-part 14.404-1(e) and (f).

Bidders are, therefore, encouraged to present their best prices in their bid submission. However, the Government reserves the right to conduct discussions if the Contracting Officer later determines them to be necessary.

3.4. Instructions outlined in paragraph 4 below prescribe the format for the bid submission and describe the approach for the development and presentation of bid data.

3.5. If a Bidder believes that the requirements in these instructions contain an error, an ambiguity, omission, or are otherwise deemed unsound, the Bidder shall immediately notify the CS in writing with supporting rationale. The Bidder is reminded that the Government reserves the right to award this effort based on the bid, as received, without discussion.

3.6. In accordance with FAR Subpart 4.8 – Government Contract Files, the Government will retain all copies of unsuccessful bids in the contract file.

3.7. All referenced documents for this solicitation are available on the new Government Point of Entry, beta SAM at https://beta.sam.gov/ and selecting “Search Contract Opportunities” under Contract Opportunities (FBO) on the landing page.

4.0 CONTENT – Preparation Instructions

a. The Government requires one (1) electronic copy of the bid.

1) Page limitations include all appendices, charts, graphs, diagrams, tables, photographs, and drawings.

2) Page limitations do not include cover page, tables of contents, glossary of abbreviations and acronyms, title pages, cross reference indices, and section dividers, or tables if they are inserted solely to provide ease to the reader in locating parts/sections of the bid. Pages will be counted if they contain any other information, i.e., diagrams, or extraneous data. Pages marked “This page intentionally left blank” will not be counted.

3) What counts as a page? A page shall be an 8½” x 11” sheet of paper. When both sides of a sheet display printed material, it shall be counted as two (2) pages. Letter size and spacing requirements for illustrations and tables can be at the discretion of the Bidder, but must be easily readable. Fold-outs will be counted as the appropriate number of pages based on an 8½” x 11” sheet of paper. Margins shall be at least one (1) inch on the top and bottom and 3/4 inch on the sides. The Bidder shall number each page in order to eliminate any confusion. In the event Bidder creates an ambiguity in its numbering of pages, the Government may exercise its own discretion in counting pages.

4.1. BID PACKAGE FORMAT

a. Bidders shall submit one (1) electronic copy of their bids in Adobe Portable Document (.pdf), Microsoft Office 2013 or newer version, or compatible format, which will enable the Government to view the bids electronically. Attachment 2 – Technical Exhibit 1 (TE1), the Price List, shall be sumbitted in accordance with the instructions at paragraph e. below. The Government will use the electronic files in the evaluation process, which will serve as the official bid.

b. The .pdf file type has a built-in security function. The Bidder shall set all security options in each .pdf file to “allowed.” Index all text, including table and figure identifiers, and allow for 100% searchable text.

Display all text as a font to facilitate the ability to copy and paste to another document. DO NOT display any text as bitmap.

c. Do not embed sound or video files into the bid files. Minimize the use of scanned images and keep embedded graphics as simple as possible.

d. Bid submission shall include a cover sheet and table of contents immediately preceeding the company letterhead. A glossary of abbreviations and acronyms shall contain all abbreviations and acronyms used, with a definition for each.

e. Price List File. Submit an electronically encoded price model in support of the bid price. Any price model submitted must be consistent with the Bidder’s approved estimating system and must duplicate the logic and mathematical formulas reflected in the bid. Price models submitted shall be in .xls file format (MS Excel 2010 or newer) or in a compatible format.

f. Viewing Environment. The Government anticipates viewing the electronic/digital submittals with the following computer software and hardware: 1) IBM-compatible systems, 128 MB of RAM, nominal 22-inch color monitors; 2) Windows 10 Enterprise operating system; and 3) Adobe Reader XI, Microsoft Office 2013, and Internet Explorer 11 browser.

4.2. BID CONTENT

a. This section shall be clearly marked “IFB DOCUMENTS W911S8-20-B-0002.” IFB documents shall contain a signed copy of all documents requiring the bidder’s signature. Bids shall include the required information in the items below.

b. TAB A—CONTRACT DOCUMENTATION AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.

Organize the Contract Documentation and Executive Summary as described herein.

1) On company letterhead, signed by an officer of the company, state:

(a) authorized representative(s), along with title(s), telephone number(s) and e-mail address(es), who can obligate your company contractually, with any dollar amount limits per person, sign the bid, and sign other contract actions. The letter must also acknowledge the acceptance period of 60 calendar days as stated in block 13 of the SF1442;

(b) Contractor/Bidder, DUNS number, CAGE Code, and Tax ID number and mailing address;

(c) Physical address, if different than mailing address;

(d) Discount Terms, if any;

(e) Signature of Bidder (original signature required);

(f) Printed name and title of signer; and

(g) Date signed.

2) Executive Summary. The purpose of this portion is to present the Government a clear and concise introduction to the Bidder, including significant risks, and highlight any key or unique features, excluding price. This should be a “big picture” explanation and provide the Bidder’s overall approach and supporting rationale for the performance of the contract’s requirements. Also, present information regarding relevant experience providing protective coating services that will enable successful execution. This summary is limited to 10 total pages.

3) If joint venture, the Bidder must provide:

A signed SF1442 by the primary member of the joint venture and a Corporate Certificate unless a written agreement by the joint venture is furnished with the bid designating one firm with the authority to bind the other member(s) of the joint venture. Additionally, the Bidder shall subit a copy of the joint venture agreement with the bid. Failure to comply with the foregoing requirements may eliminate the Bidder from further consideration.

The SBA must receive the joint venture agreement prior to the bid due time/date and approved before award of any resulting contract. If a Bidder is contemplating a joint venture on this procurement, it must advise its assigned SBA Business Opportunity Specialist (BOS) as soon as possible. It is also recommended that the agreement be submitted as soon as practicable to ensure compliance with established regulations. Any corrections and/or changes needed can be made only when the BOS has adequate time for a thorough review before the bid due time/date.

4) Bid Bond Guarantee. In accordance with FAR sub-part 28.101-2(b), Bidders are required to submit evidence of guarantee as specified in FAR clause 52.228-1. Signed bid bond shall be included with the electronic bid and the original shall be mailed separately via United States Postal Service. The bid package shall include evidence of the bid bond mailing (e.g. certified mail receipt). Failure to provide this documentation will render a bid ineligible for consideration and contract award.

5) Signed authorization letter addressed to the Bidder’s financial institution authorizing the Contracting Officer, or designated alternate, to discuss the Bidder’s financial history and liquidity.

6) Any other relevant information the Bidder chooses to bring to the Government’s attention. This documentation is limited to five (5) total pages.

c. TAB B – STANDARD FORM (SF) 1442, SOLICITATION OFFER AND AWARD &

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF AMENDMENTS

The SF1442 shall be submitted fully completed; pages 1-2 of Invitation for Bid W911S8-20-B-0002. The Bidder shall acknowledge any amendments to the IFB in accordance with the instructions on the SF1442.

All Bidders are cautioned to complete blocks 20a – 20c with an original signature in block 20b.

d. TAB C – ATTACHMENT 2 – TECHNICAL EXHIBIT 1 (TE1)

1) Bidders shall submit a completed Price List (TE1). A unit price shall be inserted for each line item, which shall include appropriate, applicable, and allowable taxes.

2) All extensions of the unit prices will be subject to verification by the Government. In case of a discrepancy between the unit price and the totals, the unit price will govern.

3) Represent all final monetary extensions in two (2) decimal positions only.

Example: $5.27, not $5.27458.

4) Unit prices and extended prices cannot be left blank; indicate your intent to not charge a specific line by writing the unit price and extended price as $0.00.

5) Price List data will be evaluated using various price analysis techniques and procedures IAW FAR

15.404 including, but not limited to, comparison of proposed prices received in response to the solicitation, comparison to the Independent Government Estimate (IGE), and total price fairness, reasonableness, and balance. Bidder is reminded to include all costs (i.e., labor, travel, overhead, G&A, profit) associated with the performance of requirements.

6) The Government reserves the right to require the submission of Other Than Certified Cost or Pricing

Data as is deemed necessary to arrive at a fair and reasonable price.

7) Should a component, work element, or system does not exist in TE1, the item shall be considered as a

Non-Pre Priced Item (NPI). Line items not covered by TE1, but within the scope and general intent of this requirement necessary to complete the requirements of a specific Task Order (TO), may be negotiated and incorporated into a TO by the Contracting Officer. These NPIs will only be allowed if the Government deems that an appropriate line item is not provided in TE1. NPIs WILL NOT BE EVALUATED FOR CONTRACT AWARD PURPOSES. NPIs WILL ONLY BE EVALUATED AT THE INDIVIDUAL TASK ORDER LEVEL AS APPLICABLE. THE USE OF NPIs IS

EXPLICITLY RESERVED FOR GOVERNMENT USE ONLY.