Firms'_Questions_and_Answers_-_4_Oct_2018.pdf

Questions from A‐Es

W912DW18R0035

Question 1. Clarification is requested on the following: Under PRIMARY CRITERION (A) SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE AND TECHNICAL COMPETENCE the solicitation, the project types of highest importance are:

“1. Engineering and design for bid ready” “plans and specifications to repair, replace, or renovate subsystems of existing water resource operating projects (e.g. pumps, electrical systems, control systems, buildings, and other support facilities)” as having the highest importance. Those projects are typically done by mechanical and electrical engineers (pumps, electrical system, control systems, buildings) and in the case of buildings also by architects.

However, this does not appear to be consistent with the order of importance of disciplines listed in PRIMARY CRITERION (B) PROFESSIONSAL QUALIFICATIONS in that Mechanical Engineer is listed as number 7, Electrical Engineer at number 8, and an Architect is not listed. Civil Engineer, Structural Engineer, Hydraulic Engineer, and Geotechnical Engineer are listed as being of higher importance.

Our team is concerned with being able to show projects that demonstrate Specialized Experience and Technical Competence in the order of importance given and match those projects and the people/disciplines involved with those types of projects with the order of importance of the disciplines listed in Professional Qualifications.

Suggest either more closely aligning the order of importance of project types in Primary Criterion (A) with the order of importance of disciplines in Primary Criterion (B) or deleting the examples, (e.g.

pumps, electrical systems, control systems, buildings, and other support facilities), from the highest importance project type in Primary Criterion (A) to leave the types of projects meeting that criterion more open or to add the following to the list of examples to include repair/upgrade/replacement of dam water passages ‐ outlet conduit, spillway, and stilling basin; repair/replacement hydraulic steel structures ‐ gates; repair/upgrade of fish passage systems; and repair/upgrade of levees.

Answer 1. After considering the request, the Government will not modify the selection criteria. The Government is looking for a broad range of capabilities as covered in the criteria.

Question 2: The solicitation requires that the “firm’s DUNS number and CAGE codes” be included “in the SF330, Part I, Sections B and C.” The solicitation also states “To be eligible for contract award, a firm must have a DUNS number” “and be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM).” We are preparing a response to the solicitation as part of a joint venture. Since the joint venture is being formed specifically for this opportunity, is it required that the joint venture have a DUNS number and CAGE codes, and be registered with SAM at the time of submittal of our response to the solicitation? An expedited response to this question is requested.

Answer 2. The Government requires that the DUNS number and Cage Code for the JV and all JV partners be submitted in Sections B and C of the SF330 Part I. This information is used to pull past performance records, which allow the Board to fully evaluate the team. However, if the JV does not have a DUNS number and Cage code for the JV at the time the SF330 is submitted, it is acceptable for the JV to only include the DUNS numbers and Cage Codes for each JV partner. The JV should note in Section H that the JV is still awaiting a separate DUNS number and Cage code for the JV and indicate the JV’s understanding that the DUNS number and Cage code would be required before an award is made.

Question 3: PRIMARY CRITERION (E) PAST PERFORMANCE states that “The offeror may also include past performance information (Past Performance Questionnaires) for the 10 example projects described in Section F.” While some of the example projects were done for the USACE and have past performance information posted to CPARS, others do not have performance information posted to CPARS. Does the District have a preferred form that should be submitted with these projects for which performance information is not available from CPARS, and if so will that form count against the page limit for the submittal?

Answer 3. An attachment has been added to this posting of a sample NAVFAC/USACE Past Performance Questionnaire (Form PPQ‐0) that may be used. However, PPQs submitted using a different format are acceptable. The past performance information may be included as an appendix to the SF330 that does not count toward the overall page limit. The synopsis has been amended to reflect this change.

Question 4. Will the government accept the PMP Credential for the Cost Engineer Role? Here is some information on this credential for your review.

https://www.pmi.org/certifications/types/project‐management‐pmp

Answer 4. The PMP credential is not equivalent to a nationally recognized cost engineering certification or a P.E. when evaluating the Cost Engineers in Criterion B.