W9123821R0057 Letter RFP.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, SACRAMENTO DISTRICT

1325 J STREET

SACRAMENTO, CA 95814-2922

17 May 2021

To: Interested Offerors

1. This request for proposal (RFP) is to support the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento

District’s requirement for an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity Multiple Award Task Order

Contract (MATOC) for removing vegetation including clearing, grubbing, tree removal and tree trimming within the entire Sacramento District area of responsibility. This procurement is being conducted under the 'fair opportunity' requirements of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)

16.505.

The specifics are as follows:

Solicitation Number W9123821R0057

Small Business Set Aside Yes

Order Type Firm Fixed Price (FFP)

Period of Performance 01 July 2021 – 30 June 2022 (Plus 4 option years)

Method of Evaluation Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA)

Performance Based Yes

DD254 Required No

Proposal Due Date 17 JUNE 2021 at 2:00pm (PT)

2. Offerors are requested to submit a written technical and price proposal in response to the attached Performance Work Statement (PWS) (Attachment 1). The initial Quality Assurance

Surveillance Plan (QASP) (Attachment 2) is also attached for contractor reference. Further information on submission of technical and price proposals is provided throughout this document.

a. Each offeror shall specifically identify in its proposal, whether or not any potential or actual

Organizational and Consultant Conflicts of Interest (OCCI) as described in FAR Subpart 9.5 exists for this procurement. If the offeror believes that no OCCI exists, the OCCI response shall set forth sufficient details to support such a position. If an offeror believes that an actual or perceived OCCI does exist on this procurement, the offeror shall submit an OCCI plan with the proposal, explaining in detail how the OCCI will be mitigated and/or avoided.

b. The following administrative requirements apply to the offerors’ proposals in response to the RFP. The technical portion of the proposal shall include information regarding the offeror’s ability to conform to all required terms and conditions in the solicitation. A page is defined as each face of a sheet of paper containing information. When both sides of a sheet display printed material, it shall be counted as two pages. Page size shall be 8.5 x 11 inches. Page limitations are identified below under each evaluation factor and will be treated as maximums. If exceeded, excess pages will not be read or considered in evaluation of the proposal. The following items will not be considered when calculating page limits: cover page, table of contents, glossary, executive summary, generic resumes, OCCI mitigation plans, SCRM plans, GFP Attachment, Fixed Price Payment Plans, FAR/DFARS Provisions/Clauses attachment, and Section 508 compliance. In the event any evaluation notices are issued, page limitations may also be placed on those. The technical portion of the proposal shall be submitted in Microsoft (MS) Word 2007 or newer file. The page format shall have a 1 inch margin using no smaller than an 11 point

Ariel, Times New Roman, or Courier New font for all text to include any text contained in a table. The price proposal spreadsheet shall be a separate document from the technical proposal and shall be submitted in MSExcel 2007 (or newer) format. All formulas shall remain present in the spreadsheet for verification. The total size of each email (including all attachments) shall not exceed 20MB. It is the sole responsibility of the offeror to ensure that the electronic files submitted are virus free and can be opened and read by the Government. Proposal submissions shall not be locked, encrypted, or otherwise contain barriers to opening. The Government is under no obligation to seek clarification regarding electronic proposal submissions if submissions cannot be opened or accessed. Page limitations shall not be circumvented by including text boxes/pop-ups or internet links to additional information; such inclusions are not acceptable and will not be considered part of a proposal. The Government reserves the right not to consider for award any proposal that does not adhere to the administrative requirements of this

RFP.

3. Evaluation Factors and Basis for Award Determination:

a. Award will be made to two (2) offerors whose proposal is determined to represent the overall best value to the Government using an LPTA evaluation process with acceptable past performance (i.e., after awarding to the lowest-price technically acceptable offeror, the

Government will similarly evaluate the second-lowest price offeror). The evaluation factors and subfactors identified in paragraph 3c(1) and paragraph 3c(2) below will be used in the determination of technical acceptability.

b. After receipt of proposals, the Government will first evaluate the lowest price proposal. If the lowest price proposal is determined to be technically acceptable and otherwise properly awardable, award will be made to that offeror. The Government reserves the right to evaluate only the lowest price proposal or to conduct further evaluations of additional proposals.

c. The standards for determining technical acceptability are below, as well as information concerning price proposals.

(1) Technical/Management Approach Factor: The Technical/Management Subfactors will be evaluated and rated either Acceptable or Unacceptable. In order for a proposal to be rated overall Technically Acceptable, each of the following subfactors must be rated Acceptable.

Technical/ management proposals should not exceed 3 pages.

(a) Subfactor 1: Required personnel/proof of required certifications:

Site Safety and Health Officer (SSHO) PWS Paragraph 2.6.4. The SSHO shall be responsible for overall technical management of safety and health related aspects of this contract. Provide a person as the Site Safety and Health Officer

(SSHO) and ensure that they or an equally‐qualified designated alternate SSHO is at the work site at appropriate times in which high risk work is being performed.

The SSHO may also be appointed to other duties in relation to this contract, however must be available as stated in the preceding sentence. The SSHO must be trained, experienced, and qualified in accordance with EM 385‐1‐1 paragraph

01.A.17. Provide a competent person for all of the hazards identified in the

Contractor's Safety and Health Program in accordance with the accepted Accident

Prevention Plan. The SSHO must have the following qualifications:

• Certification IAW EM 385-1-1 paragraph 01.A.17.

• Four (4) years of working experience relating to the assessment of facilities for safety/health compliance.

• Two (2) years of pertinent experience.

Certified Arborist PWS Paragraph 2.15.2: The certified arborist will be responsible for the overall physical procedural related aspects of the tree service components within this contract. The individual must have the following qualifications:

• Certified Arborist

• California D-49 Tree /service state contractor license

• Seven years minimum certified arborist experience.

Biological Monitor PWS Paragraph 2.15.6: The biological monitor must have a degree in biology, ecology, wildlife biology, herpetology, or related fields. The biologist must have a minimum of 3 years field experience using USFWS and

CDFW techniques and experience with the wildlife species likely to be encountered on the site including any species mentioned within this PWS.

Biological monitors for tree removal outside pupping season must have familiarity with bat ecology and habitat requirements. Biological monitors for tree removal during pupping season must have prior experience surveying and monitoring for bats and must be approved by the USACE. The biologist must be experienced with raptors, migratory birds, Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetles, and bats. The monitor will be on call year round.

In order for this subfactor to be rated Acceptable interested parties shall submit proof of required certifications for the above positions.

(b) Subfactor 2: Proof of tree service equipment/trucks, PWS Paragraph 2.2 &2.3. In order for this subfactor to be rated Acceptable interested parties shall show they have the proper equipment and trucks required to perform the service described in the PWS.

(2) Past Performance Factor:

(a) Offerors will be evaluated on performance under existing and prior contracts for similar products or services with the past performance being rated as "Acceptable" or

"Unacceptable." In order to be rated Acceptable, the Government must determine that based on the offeror’s performance record, the Government has a reasonable expectation that the offeror will successfully perform the required effort, or that the offeror’s performance record is unknown. This factor will be rated Unacceptable if, based on the offeror’s performance record, the Government does not have a reasonable expectation that the offeror will be able to successfully perform the required effort.

(b) Past performance efforts cited must be for similar services as outlined in the PWS, with satisfactory performance, and must have occurred within the last 3 years, including those efforts currently being performed. For efforts currently being performed, the contract/order must have commenced 6 months or greater prior to the proposal submission date under this RFP. No more than 3 past performance efforts may be submitted, and each past performance effort submitted shall not exceed 2 pages. The Government reserves the right to obtain information relative to present and past performance on its own, in addition to that provided by the offeror.

Past performance information may be obtained through the Past Performance Information

Retrieval System, through interviews with program managers on past efforts, or any other sources known to the Government.

(3) Price Factor:

(a) Price proposals will be evaluated to determine if they are reasonable and complete.

Price reasonableness is established through cost and price analysis techniques as described in

FAR 15.404. For a price to be complete, all solicitation requirements must be priced, figures correctly calculated, and prices presented in a clear and useful format. The Government reserves the right, but is not obligated, to conduct a realism analysis. The offeror shall submit pricing for the base period and all option periods, including option pricing for an additional 6-month period that may be authorized IAW FAR 52.217-8. See FAR 52.217-8 which authorizes the

Government to require continued performance of any services within the limits and at the rates specified in the contract. The pricing proposal, Attachment 3-CLIN Pricing Worksheet, should include a separate line item for the additional 6-month period IAW FAR 52.217-8. These prices shall be identical to the quoted pricing in the 6 months prior to expiration of the base period, or the final option period, if option periods are present. The total evaluated price will consist of the contractor’s proposed price for the base period, all option periods, the option pricing for the additional 6-month period, and surge pricing as requested below.

(b) Offerors should ensure price proposals include detailed information regarding the resources required to accomplish the task (e.g., labor categories, labor hours, number of employees for each labor category, rates, travel, incidental equipment, contract access fees, etc.).

Again, the price proposal, CLIN Pricing Worksheet, shall be a separate document from the technical/management proposal.

(c) All travel must show the specific detail, if known (e.g., number of days, locations, number of personnel, etc.). All ODCs shall annotate the specific detail (e.g., quantity, part number, manufacturer, etc.) to include supporting documentation to justify the costs (i.e., price quotes, price history, etc.). Travel shall be authorized by the Contracting Officer Representative

(COR) in writing prior to performance and will be paid IAW FAR 31.205-46. No profit or fee will be authorized for travel or ODCs. Applicable burdens, e.g., G&A, may apply to travel and

ODCs IAW the contractor’s accounting practices.

(d) The Government may require surge support. The Government is providing a percentage value to be used by all offerors when proposing surge. Surge support will not exceed

35% of the offeror’s total proposed cost/price for the base and all option periods, excluding any

6-month extension of services pursuant to FAR 52.217-8. offerors are instructed to propose this

EXACT percentage for Surge CLIN 9999. Pricing for optional CLIN 9999 shall be quoted as a cost reimbursable, not-to-exceed CLIN. The Government will not conduct a cost realism analysis on optional surge CLIN 9999 if all other labor CLINs under the contract/task order are fixed price.

4. Offerors shall propose a fixed price payment plan as a separate document commensurate with the value of the deliverables and/or significant milestones in the PWS for this requirement. A fixed price payment plan with the total dollar amount divided into 12 equal monthly payments will not be accepted unless the offeror provides justification for this plan that the Government subsequently deems adequate. If justification is provided and deemed adequate, the offeror shall ensure their monthly price (total price divided by 12), comes to no more than two decimal places.

The eventual awardee will be authorized to invoice monthly for all approved travel costs incurred and approved by the COR.

5. The Government intends to evaluate proposals and award a contract without exchanges with offerors. However, the Government reserves the right to conduct exchanges or seek clarifications if the Contracting Officer (KO) determines they are necessary. In the event issues pertaining to a proposed task cannot be resolved to the KO’s satisfaction, the Government reserves the right to withdraw and cancel the proposed task order. In such an event, offerors will be notified in writing. In the event a competitive range is established and the KO determines that the number of proposals that would otherwise be in the competitive range exceeds the number at which an efficient competition can be conducted, the KO may limit the number of proposals in the competitive range to the greatest number that will permit an efficient competition.

6. Attachment 5 contains provisions that apply to this solicitation and clauses that will be applicable to the resulting award. Some of the provisions and additional instructions require a response from the offeror and will need to be submitted along with your proposal.

7. In response to this RFP, no terms, conditions, or assumptions will be entertained. If terms, conditions, or assumptions are included in a proposal, the proposal may be excluded on grounds that it failed to comply with the RFP’s instructions.

8. An offeror agrees that if its offer is accepted within 60 calendar days from the date of receipt of proposals (unless a different period is stated in the proposal), it will furnish the items and/or services identified in its proposal at the cost offered to the designated point(s) within the time specified in the contract. You also agree that if the Government awards you the contract, the award document sent by the Government to the contractor is a binding and enforceable contract.

The contractor has a legal obligation to perform in compliance with all aspects of the PWS if awarded the contract.

9. Portions of the successful offeror’s proposal may be incorporated into the contract.

10. Questions should be addressed to David.J.Alvarez@usace.army.mil. The phone number is

916-557-6986. Please provide any questions, in writing, no later than 24 MAY 2021 at

2:00pm (PT). The Government reserves the right to not answer questions submitted after this time.

11. Proposals are due no later than 17 JUNE 2021 at 2:00pm (PT) and should be submitted to the contract specialist at USACE-SPK via the following email address:

David.J.Alvarez@usace.army.mil.

Sincerely, JOEL R. KLEMMER

CONTRACTING OFFICER

Attachment 1, PWS

Attachment 2, Initial QASP

Attachment 3, CLIN Pricing Worksheet

Attachment 4, CLIN Details and Quantities

Attachment 5, Provisions & Clauses

Attachment 6, Past Performance References