QA_W912EP25R0007_as of 07APR25.pdf

W912EP25R0007, Indefinite Delivery Contract for Multi-Discipline Miscellaneous Civil Works and Other Architect and Engineering (A-E) Services Within the Boundaries of the Jacksonville District

Questions Received and Answered through the time of posting this Q&A document to SAM.gov on April1, 2025 are as follow below:

Q1. Confirm if resumes are to be 1 or 2 pages

A1. Two pages.

Q2. Confirm that more than 1 resume for each discipline may be submitted.

A2. Confirmed. “A minimum of one resume is required for each key discipline.”

Q3. Due to the amount of information being requested for each key personnel in Arial 11 pt font, please confirm that an 11x17 page may be used for the requested summary table.

A3. Yes, an 11x17 sheet can be used for this table.

Q4. Confirm that the requested key personnel table is to be placed prior to the resumes.

A4. Yes, place table at beginning of resumes.

Q5. Confirm the date first licensed includes the month and year only.

A5. Yes, month and year is su icient.

Q6. Confirm if USACE wants firms to include a minimum of 1 resume per Civil Water Resources category (i.e., 1 resume focused on hydraulics, 1 resume focused on hydrology, and 1 resume focused on coastal).

A6. Yes, a minimum of one resume is required for each Water Resources category, one each for Civil Hydraulics, Civil Hydrology, and Civil Coastal.

Q7. Confirm supporting documentation for past performance is to be included in an Appendix and doesn't count against the 15 pages in Section H.

A7. Supporting documentation for past performance will count against the 15-page limit for Section H.

Q8. Confirm that only Prime contract/task orders are required for the Volume of DoD table.

A8. This only applies to the Prime/JV.

Q9. Is there a page restriction on the resumes?

A9. 2 pages

Q10. Will multiple resumes in a single category be averaged?

A10. Each resume will be considered on its own merit. Multiple resumes will be considered in totality. There is no averaging.

Q11. Please reconsider requiring Small Business Joint Ventures to SBA submit audits. We requested an audit from SBA in September 2024 but SBA has not yet reviewed it.

A11. SBA audits are recommended, not required, and lack thereof will not be evaluated negatively. SBA audits are one method to help demonstrate capacity to accomplish the work.

Q12. The solicitation states that "a firm submitting a proposal as a prime contractor may NOT also be listed as a subcontractor in ANY other submitted proposal under this solicitation." Can our SB partner in our mentor-protégé JV also be a sub to our unrestricted team?

A12. This language has been struck from the solicitation.

Q13. Please confirm responses to questions asked prior to April 7th will be distributed prior to the pre-proposal meeting. There is a 2-week period between solicitation drop and the pre-proposal meeting where firms are working on their responses. Delays in answering questions will impact development of responses and potentially cause rework for firms.

A13. Yes

Q14. The first sentence in Criteria A reads, "O erors must clearly demonstrate experience and competence for engineering and design services through relevant projects completed within the last ten years (measured from the date of this synopsis)." Further in the paragraph it reads, "If the project is not 100% complete, note the current percentage and estimated date when the project will be completed for each contract and/or task order." Confirm how many of the 10 projects must be 100% completed.

A14. Zero projects must be 100% complete.

Q15. Confirm the Volume of DoD Work is not included in the 15-page Section H. Volume of DoD can take up anywhere between 1-4 pages with Arial 11pt font, depending on firm.

A15. Volume of DoD work is not included in the 15-page Section H.

Q16. Firms are required to respond to a lot of information within Section H and have been given a 15-page limit. We respectfully ask that the Section H page limit be increased to 20 pages (not including Volume of DoD Work, requested in a prior question, and the documentation as requested below).

A16. A 15-page limit will be enforced for Section H.

Q17. In response to the answer to the documentation question being included in the Section H page count, we want to provide clarification. Other credible, documented supporting information may include Past Performance Questionnaires (PPQs) which are a minimum of 4 pages each. We respectfully ask that any documentation such as PPQs, Letters of Commendation, or other document proof - where the information is provided to firms in a PDF to prove credibility - will be excluded from the page count. To assist with organization, please confirm the documentation may be included in an Appendix. The concern is that Section H is currently limited to 15 pages and firms are required to respond to a lot of information within these pages even before providing the documentation. Firms are then restricted in adding documentation due to the page limitation.

A17. Past Performance can be addressed in multiple sections, including Section H; However, copies of letters, commendations, etc. provided to firms should be placed after Section H and will not be counted in the 15-page limit.

Q18. We understand CPARS are available to the government to evaluate past performance.

However, please confirm if firms may include the full CPAR report (with reviewer ratings and comments) for each Section F project as documentation of past performance? If USACE will allow the full CPAR reports, confirm they do not count against the Section H, 15-page limit and may be included in an Appendix. Note: CPARS reports typically run 3-4 pages each. The concern is that Section H is currently limited to 15 pages and firms are required to respond to a lot of information within these pages even before providing the documentation. Firms are then restricted in adding documentation due to the page limitation.

A18. There is no need to include CPARS reports. The government pulls reports for the selection board to review.

Q19. For the above-referenced RFP, the instructions say to upload our response via PIEE. If we are to submit on this RFP as a Joint Venture, can the proposal be uploaded via either one of the joint venture partner’s PIEE account or do we need to create a PIEE account for the Joint Venture? So please advise how we can proceed.

A19. The JV may use either partner’s PIEE account.

Q20. To ensure the District selects the best possible pool of AE contractors for the next five years, we kindly request a reconsideration of how submissions will be assessed concerning evaluation criteria A.(1) – A.(4). The solicitation indicates that project summaries should document breadth and depth of expertise and technical competence for all four criteria. This approach may result in selecting firms with balanced proficiency without showcasing industry-leading expertise. For a more robust selection, we respectfully recommend evaluating firms that demonstrate exceptional expertise and technical competence in at least two of the four areas: Inland Flood Risk Management, Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration, Coastal Storm Risk Management, and Navigation.

This method would allow the District to choose firms that provide the depth of expertise and technical competence needed while ensuring redundancy in AE resources given the four areas and eight intended awards. We believe this approach will help the District achieve its goals and maintain a high standard of excellence in its projects.

A20. The Government intends to award task orders in all of the areas evaluated in the solicitation. As a result, the most highly qualified firm would be a firm that has experience completing projects in all of the subject areas evaluated in the solicitation.

Q21. Please clarify whether information to be summarized in a table for key personnel should be included in Section E or Section H.

A21. The table summarizing information regarding key personnel is to be placed at the beginning of Section E, prior to the resumes.

Q22. Is it possible to use a di erent font type instead of Arial or a smaller font (9 or 10 point) for graphics submitted in Section H to make them more readable and more concise?

A22. 9-point Arial font may be used for graphics in Section H.

Q23. Can multiple resumes be provided to address the “hydraulics, hydrology, and coastal” requirements for the Civil Water Resources position?

A23. Yes, a minimum of one resume is required for each Water Resources category, one each for Civil Hydraulics, Civil Hydrology, and Civil Coastal.

Q24. The past performance section indicates we must submit information for relevant contracts/subcontractors including name, address, and telephone number of references…is this information just required for the 10 Section F projects or for any project discussed in the past performance section?

A24. The information requested in Selection Criterion D, Past Performance, is required for any project your firm provides as an example in response to Selection Criterion D, Past Performance.

Q25. Can the Section E summary table for key personnel information be on 11 x 17 pages? It is not possible to include all the required information on 8.5 x 11 pages.

A25. Yes, you can use a 11X 17.

Q’s & A’s since initial SAM posting Q&A 1-25 on 1 April 2025:

Q26. The solicitation states, “All O erors responding to this announcement MUST identify to which category they are submitting.” Can you please confirm that the “categories” are listed as evaluation criteria A1-A4 (1. Inland Flood Risk Management, 2. Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration, 3. Coastal Storm Risk Management, 4. Navigation)?

A26. The categories are Small Business and Other than Small Business as follows in the next sentence of the solicitation which reads: “All O erors must state the words, Small Business, or Other than Small Business after the solicitation number in PART I, A, Block 3 of Standard Form 330.”

Q27. The solicitation states, “A separate SF 330 MUST be submitted for each category in which the firm wants consideration.” Can you please confirm that “A separate SF 330” is an entire package (SF330 Part I A-I and Part II for each o ice on the team).

A27. Yes, a separate SF 330 is an entire package, i.e., SF 330, Parts I and II submitted as two PDF files.

Q 28. The solicitation states, “No one firm will receive more than one award as a result of this solicitation.” Can you please confirm that “firm” refers to the Prime Firm?

A28. Yes, the “firm” refers to the Prime firm. Please note that the following language has been deleted from the solicitation: “To avoid a conflict of interest, any contractor proposing as a prime may not have a subcontractor who is also proposing as a prime. This solicitation shall be viewed as one singular solicitation. Therefore, a firm submitting a proposal as a prime contractor may NOT also be listed as a subcontractor in ANY other submitted proposal under this solicitation. This requirement also applies to O erors submitting as Joint Ventures. In the event a conflict of interest is found, the Contracting O icer reserves the right to deem ineligible for award the proposal submitted by the prime firm who is also a subcontractor under another firm proposal.”

Q29. The solicitation states, “No one firm will receive more than one award as a result of this solicitation.” Can a firm be both prime and subconsultant in separate awards or subconsultant on multiple awarded teams?

A29. Yes. Please note that the following language has been deleted from the solicitation: “To avoid a conflict of interest, any contractor proposing as a prime may not have a subcontractor who is also proposing as a prime. This solicitation shall be viewed as one singular solicitation. Therefore, a firm submitting a proposal as a prime contractor may NOT also be listed as a subcontractor in ANY other submitted proposal under this solicitation. This requirement also applies to O erors submitting as Joint Ventures. In the event a conflict of interest is found, the Contracting O icer reserves the right to deem ineligible for award the proposal submitted by the prime firm who is also a subcontractor under another firm proposal.”

Q30. The solicitation states, “No one firm will receive more than one award as a result of this solicitation.” Can you please confirm that each awarded contract is for a single category only? Or could a single team be accepted for multiple categories that are then included in a single contract?

A30. The categories are Small Business and Other than Small Business. “The Government intends to award a target of eight contracts as a result of this announcement. The Government has a target to award four other than small business (OTSB) awards and a goal of four awards to small businesses (SB) with a SB reserve target of 10 awarded task orders.”

Q31. The solicitation reads, "g. Cost Engineer (Licensed Engineer with cost experience)" Will USACE accept a Cost Engineer who holds a Certified Cost Engineer (CCE), Certified Cost Consultant (CCC), Certified Cost Professional (CCP), or hold an equivalent accreditation in lieu of a

PE?

A31. For purposes of selection, USACE will accept a Cost Engineer who holds a Certified Cost Engineer (CCE) credential or a Licensed Engineer with cost experience.

Q32. Section D – Past Performance: Would the Government consider allowing Letters of Commendation to be submitted as an appendix to SF330 Part I and excluded from the page count?

A32. Yes. Copies of letters, commendations, etc. provided to firms should be placed after Section H and will not be counted in the 15-page limit.

Q33. Supplemental Instructions – SF 330 Formatting (Sections 3 & 7): The instructions specify Arial 11-point font and standard English formatting. Would the Government permit the use of 9-point font for graphics, tables, and charts—particularly in SF 330 Sections D, E, F, and H—provided the content remains legible and professionally formatted?

A33. Yes. 9-point Arial font may be used for the items you have listed.

Q34. Section B – Qualified Professional Personnel: Would the Government please clarify whether the Key Personnel Table should be placed in Section E (Resumes) or in Section H (Additional Information) of SF 330 Part I?

A34. The Key Personnel Table can be shown on 11” x 17” page(s) and is to be placed at the beginning of Section E, prior to the resumes.

Q35. Section G – Extent of Participation of Small Business: Will the Government allow the Small Business Participation Plan to be included as an appendix to SF 330 Part I, with a reference to its location provided in Section H, in order to preserve page limits and maintain formatting clarity?

A35. Yes. The Small Business Participation Plan is to be included after Section H and will not be counted in the 15-page limit.

Q36. G. Extent of Participation of Small Businesses: The RFP requests o erors provide a Small Business Participation Plan in accordance with FAR 52.219-8, in Section H. Given the number of pages expected to put together a comprehensive Small Business Participation Plan, we request this plan be excluded from the 15-page limit for Section H and included as an appendix?

A36. Yes. The Small Business Participation Plan is to be included after Section H and will not be counted in the 15-page limit.

Q37. H. Volume of Past DoD Contracts Awarded to Firm: The RFP requests o erors provide the volume of work awarded by DoD agencies during the previous 12 months, excluding IDIQs. For our Firm, this list is extensive, we request this list be excluded from the 15 page limit for Section H and included as an appendix?

A37. Volume of DoD work is not included in the 15-page Section H.

Q38. Supplemental Instructions: Will the government permit o erors to use a type font smaller than 11pt for tables, graphics, etc., so long as the text is legible?

A38. Yes. 9-point Arial may be used for tables & graphics so long as the text is legible.

Q39. Supplemental Instructions: The RFP states “All pages of the proposal shall be 8.5 in. x 11.0 in., except that the SF 330 PART I, Section D, Organizational Chart of the Proposed Team, and the Matrix required as SF 330 PART I, Section G may each be presented on a page up to 11.0 in. x 17.0

in. at the proper location and each counted as one individual page.” Please consider permitting o erors to also use the 11.0 in x 17.0 in specification for the key personnel table requested in B.

QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL PERSONNEL.

A39. Yes. The Key Personnel Table can be shown on 11” x 17” page(s) and is to be placed at the beginning of Section E, prior to the resumes.

Q40. Are projects that cover other select criteria listed in the synopsis (for example maintenance dredging, numerical modeling) considered as relevant as design projects?

A40. The primary selection criteria are listed is the synopsis/solicitation in descending order of importance from A to F per paragraph 3 of the solicitation. Also, per paragraph 3.A. of the solicitation, “O erors must clearly demonstrate experience and competence for engineering and design services through relevant projects completed within the last ten years (measured from the date of this synopsis). Project summaries should document breadth and depth of expertise and technical competence for the following evaluation criteria A.(1) – A.(4). Additional projects may be included in SF 330 Section H.” The examples that you provided in your question are all included in selection criterion A, which is the most important of the primary selection criteria.

Q41.