RFIs for BRAC 132 - 19 May.docx

RFIs for Admin Bldgs 1 & 2 – 19 May

Question - Item Number 8 on both the Attachment A (Contractor’s Relevant Experience Form) and Attachment C (Contractor’s Design/Build Experience Form) requests “a detailed explanation of Contractor’s management and control of this project and how it will be applied to the solicited project.” Could you provide more guidance on the level of detail and scope that you are expecting for this item? This is a very open-ended and non-specific request that could conceivably be a 15-20 page response “detailing” the project’s management and control systems and then “applying” them to this solicited project. I don’t believe that this item occurs on any of the relevant experience forms of any other USACE district office (at least after 20 years of doing these prequals and proposals I have never seen it except from the Baltimore District), and I have no experience or context with how to properly respond. Normally, there is a management plan or technical approach plan as part of a USACE prequal. Both the ADMIN prequals include this as well (sort of), but this is a separate factor. Responding with a detailed explanation of the management plan for each and every project submitted is unique, if this is indeed what the Baltimore District intends. Also, there are page limits to consider. Guidance please.

Answer – The RFP states “the Offeror must provide a detailed explanation of how the Offeror managed and controlled the projects and how that management relates to and will be used in the proposed management of the solicited project.” The space provided for item #8 on the attached Experience forms allows the offeror to provide a simple explanation of how they would apply lessons learned from submitted projects on the solicited project. It is not intended that the information provided in this section be extremely detailed. The detailed management approach is expected in Factor 5.

Question - Under Factor 3 – Experience in Design / Build Projects: “At least one project shall be submitted under this factor by the proposed designer.” Then later in the paragraph “…at least two of the submitted projects under this factor must document the proposed designer’s experience.” Does the Baltimore District require one or two projects from the design firm, or would there be a better score under this factor for presenting more than two projects for the design firm?

Answer - The offeror must submit at least one project under Factor 3 that demonstrates the design/build experience of the proposed designer of record. The project must be clearly labeled as representing the designer of record.

Question - The RFP in Factor 5: Qualifications and Fast-Track Approach in both 3.5.1. Design Organization and 3.5.2 Construction Organization requests an “availability of key personnel” statement for “each individual named to the project”. There is no mention of a requirement for resumes, nor any indication of the individual positions for either the design or construction phase organizations that the Baltimore District would expect to see on the org chart and for whom the “Availability of Key Personnel” statement must be included. There is no attachment for guidance on resume data, yet it seems that individuals are to be named on the team. Can you tell me for what positions on both the design and construction teams the Baltimore District requires a name, a resume, and an availability statement, if any?

Answer – “The Offeror shall submit an “Availability of Key Personnel” statement that indicates each individual’s current assignment and the Offeror’s plan to ensure that the named personnel will be used on this project.” It is our intent that the offeror define who they believe are key personnel. This could be indicated in narrative or chart form. For those people the offeror defines as key, the government expects them to be available to manage, control, oversee, etc. this project.

Question - In Factor 5 - Qualifications and Fast Track Approach / Construction Organization: “The Offeror will provide its qualifications to construction such a facility through specific examples of previously satisfactorily completed work and organizational structure. The discussion will address…….” We have completed a section on Relevant Project Experience and Design/Build Experience. Does the Baltimore District want more project examples, a rehash of the projects already submitted, a general narrative summary of experience, and/or a project list? I am also not clear as to what is intended by the “organizational structure” portion of that sentence. The following instructions are for the “discussion”. Are these instructions pertaining to a management plan for the proposed project, or the plan used for the projects submitted for the qualification verbiage immediately preceding. Then there is another instruction “the narrative will also state why your construction firm is qualified to undertake this project;”. Is this asking for even more “qualifications” data or just a general narrative response. This is not clear.

Answer – It’s the government’s intent to give the offerors the most flexibility in showing they have the capability to successfully perform this project. They offeror may choose to site additional examples of successful performance and provide a detailed explanation as to why those projects make the offeror uniquely qualified. A narrative on the “organizational structure” would explain how the Offeror’s firm or team of firms is structured and positioned to successfully complete the solicited project. The organization structure itself could be graphical. The follow on discussion of the organization structure should explain how the proposed organization structure will address as a minimum design and construction project delivery, scheduling capabilities, the process of customer input during the design phase. “Why your construction firm is qualified to undertake this project” must be addressed in the response to Factor 5. It should tie experience, management, performance, etc. together to provide a clear roll up of the offerors capabilities. The response to Factor 5 should be organized into the four topics discussed in the RFP (Design Organization, Construction Organization, Onsite Design-Build Management Team, Fast Track Approach) and may include narratives, lists, charts, schedules, etc.