Answers_to_Contractor_Questions__4.pdf

Environmental Consulting Services

W912EF-17-R-0015

Final RFP – Comments/Questions

Comment Number

RFP Section/ Sub-Section Subject/Title Page Number Contractor Comment/Question

1. 7 Personnel Performance

26 (amendment 3) The RFP it states that the Senior Toxicologist must “Manage laboratory operation and supervise staff.”

Can you please clarify that this person must have experience with managing a laboratory operations and supervision of staff, or is this person required to currently be a laboratory manager and staff supervisor?

USACE Response:

Position descriptions are more broadly inclusive and general to each position. There is no requirement for a toxicologist to have former or present experience with managing a laboratory or staff, but they must possess the proper education and experience to be an appropriate fit for the position.

2. Evaluation Factors, Factor 2:

Management Approach page 40 or 79 (3) Principal Investigator (PI). I understand that this position must be addressed in the Management Approach and as a Key Personnel position it will be reflected on the Organization Chart. However, this position is not reflected on the Price Schedule nor is it mentioned in the PWS, Para 7. Personnel Performance where the requirements are listed by: Labor Category;

Job Description; Minimum Years; Minimum Education;

and License or Certification yet my understanding we are to include a resume reflecting as a minimum the quals listed on page 40.

Is it correct to assume that the Pricing Schedule and PWS, Para 7, Personnel Performance will be amended to reflect the position of Principal Investigator?

USACE Response:

Final RFP – Comments/Questions

Comment Number

RFP Section/ Sub-Section Subject/Title Page Number Contractor Comment/Question

The Pricing Schedule and Personnel Performance section of the PWS will not be amended to reflect the position of Principle Investigator. Per the second sentence of Evaluation Factor 2, item (3), The PI does not have a specific experience or certification requirement to be a PI. It is a role that may be filled by any senior-level employee with appropriate experience and expertise.

3. 7 Personnel Performance

23 The RFP it states that the Principle Planner must be certified. However, the job description on page 6 and along with the short description provided in the table on page 23 reads like this position would have senior Project Controls responsibilities versus event planning.

Can you please clarify that this position must be certified and, if so, what types of certifications will be accepted?

USACE Response:

Yes, this person must be a Certified Planner by the American Planning Association, or hold a comparable certification. A firm may propose key personnel with similar, but not exact Certified Planner certification.

Credentials will be reviewed during proposal evaluations.

4. Price Schedule Price Schedule 10 Under Factor 5 Pricing, the RFP states that price proposal shall include “Pricing Information for all disciplines fully burdened (including G&A, Overhead and profit)”. This information is to be provided on the Price Schedules provided on pages 11-15. Does the government want a separate price schedule of fully burdened rates for each company that may be on a team or is the Offeror (Prime) required to submit a single price schedule which represents an average and/or blended

Final RFP – Comments/Questions

Comment Number

RFP Section/ Sub-Section Subject/Title Page Number Contractor Comment/Question fully burdened labor category rates that cover all companies on the team?

USACE Response:

We want only one price schedule for the Prime Offeror.

5. n/a Submittal Instructions

In light of the recent addition of the Sr. Toxicologist to the list of named key personnel as well as the government’s intention to take questions until March 1st, we respectfully request a one week extension to the proposal due date to March 13th. This additional time is requested so that we can delay final publication of our proposal package until we receive responses to any last minute questions that the government may receive. As a small business, our proposal development resources are somewhat limited and we would like to avoid incurring unnecessary publication costs if possible. The extra week is also provide adequate time to finalize our vetting and selection of the Sr. Toxicologist key personnel.

USACE Response:

Yes, we agree to extend the proposal due date to March 13th.

6. Evaluation Factors, Factor 3

The Factor 3 mentioned on Amendment #2, Page 7 of 40, at the bottom, which states: "Submit three (3) NEPA (EA and EIS, or state environmental impact law equivalents) and three ESA (BA/BE) documents." It doesn't state EA or EIS. It states EA and EIS, or state equivalent.

Please clarify if we should either submit both 3 EIS and 3 EA and or combination of, since the three NEPA includes EA and EIA, with the word "and" being the operative word or as the 3rd Q&A stated on Page 42, Evaluation

Final RFP – Comments/Questions

Comment Number

RFP Section/ Sub-Section Subject/Title Page Number Contractor Comment/Question

Factor 3 States “a minimum requirement offerors must submit 3 NEPA and 3 ESA documents that cover at least 16 of the 24 areas of expertise……” Meaning 3 NEPA (EA or EIS) and 3 ESA (BA/BE).

USACE Response:

The offeror should submit a 3 NEPA documents or state equivalents to include a combination of EAs and EISs, a minimum of 3 NEPA documents total, AND 3 ESA documents, for a total of 6 documents, minimum.

7. 7 Personnel Performance

26 (amendment 3) The RFP it states that the Senior Toxicologist must “Manage laboratory operation and supervise staff.”

Can you please clarify that this person must have experience with managing a laboratory operations and supervision of staff, or is this person required to currently be a laboratory manager and staff supervisor?

USACE Response:

Position descriptions are more broadly inclusive and general to each position. There is no requirement for a toxicologist to have former or present experience with managing a laboratory or staff, but they must possess the proper education and experience to be an appropriate fit for the position.

8. Evaluation Factors, Factor 2:

Management Approach page 40 or 79 (3) Principal Investigator (PI). I understand that this position must be addressed in the Management Approach and as a Key Personnel position it will be reflected on the Organization Chart. However, this position is not reflected on the Price Schedule nor is it mentioned in the PWS, Para 7. Personnel Performance where the requirements are listed by: Labor Category;

Final RFP – Comments/Questions

Comment Number

RFP Section/ Sub-Section Subject/Title Page Number Contractor Comment/Question

Job Description; Minimum Years; Minimum Education;

and License or Certification yet my understanding we are to include a resume reflecting as a minimum the quals listed on page 40.

Is it correct to assume that the Pricing Schedule and PWS, Para 7, Personnel Performance will be amended to reflect the position of Principal Investigator?

USACE Response:

The Pricing Schedule and Personnel Performance section of the PWS will not be amended to reflect the position of Principle Investigator. Per the second sentence of Evaluation Factor 2, item (3), The PI does not have a specific experience or certification requirement to be a PI. It is a role that may be filled by any senior-level employee with appropriate experience and expertise.

9. "Request that at least one individual filling the project manager and principal investigator positions be from the prime contractor/offeror and that other individuals from firms on the team be allowed to also fill these positions so that there is sufficient experience coverage for potential task orders involving the 24 SOW areas and so that the proposal may be more favorably considered."

USACE Response:

This is an acceptable request and the offeror should propose as they would like to. It was our intention to require one of the Offeror's employees to fill the overall Project Manager/Task Order Manager position, while

Final RFP – Comments/Questions

Comment Number

RFP Section/ Sub-Section Subject/Title Page Number Contractor Comment/Question allowing their partners to contribute other qualified staff.

I believe our inclusion of a Principle Investigator (which was not intended to be an individual position, but could be any appointed senior staff) was simply confusing and we could have just included this role within the Project/Task Order Manager position. With that said, any staff that qualifies for a senior-level scientist position can be assigned the role of Principle Investigator, whether the staff member works within the Offering firm, or a partnering firm.