RFI Set 2_ENV IDIQ Final 8.17.2026.pdf

RFI # Question USACE Response

Please clarify whether the prime contractor itself must be an established A-E firm with in-house A-E professional personnel, or whether an otherwise qualified small-business prime may rely upon qualified A-E subcontractors and/or teaming partners for the required professional disciplines.

An otherwise qualified small-business prime may rely upon qualified A-E subcontractors and/or teaming partners for the required professional disciplines. The synopsis states, "Prime Contractors that do not have specific experience in the areas listed...will be evaluated based on their proposed subcontractors experience." It also mentions "The Prime or the chosen subcontractors shall provide resumes of personnel who are certified, registered, and/or highly trained in the above disciplines."

Must NAICS 541330 – Engineering Services already be included in the prime contractor's active SAM registration by the SF330 submission date? If so, must 541330 be the firm's primary NAICS, or is inclusion in the firm's SAM profile sufficient?

Yes, 541330 must be included on the prime contractor's SAM. It does not need to be the firm's primary

NAICS.

Please confirm the controlling small-business size standard and averaging period for this procurement.The materials appear to contain different figures. The pre-proposal presentation identifies NAICS 541330 with a $25.5 million five-year average. The synopsis language provided with the announcement references other dollar thresholds/averaging language. Please confirm the exact size standard and averaging period that will govern eligibility for W912P726RA029.

The current size standard for NAICS Code 541330 is $25,500,000. The synopsis has been corrected to state the correct size standard.

May a qualifying small-business prime include large-business A-E subcontractors on its team, provided the prime remains an eligible small business? Yes.

Additionally, the synopsis states that projects in which the prime performed 50% or more of the work with in-house forces will be weighted more heavily. Please clarify:

a. Whether 50% is measured by labor hours, contract/task-order dollars, professional fees, scope of work, or another measure; and

b. Whether this 50% language represents an evaluation preference only or a minimum self-performance requirement applicable to the resulting contract.

The synopsis does not specify the measure for the 50% in-house work preference.This is an evaluation preference. The synopsis states that "projects where the prime contractor performed 50% or more of the work with in-house forces will be weighted more heavily". This is found under the selection criteria.

Is the limit 10 projects total for the entire proposed team, including the prime and significant subcontractors/JV members, rather than 10 projects per firm? 10 projects total for the entire proposed team.

May a single project be identified as demonstrating experience under multiple specialized-experience areas (i) through (viii)? Yes.

Is the proposed team expected to collectively demonstrate experience covering all eight areas (i) through (viii) within those 10 projects? Yes.

For the requirement that projects be completed within the last five years, is eligibility based upon the project/task-order completion date falling within the five-year period even if the project began earlier?

Yes, eligibility is based on the project completion date. The synopsis asks for "not more than 10 projects completed within the last 5 years" and requires that "All projects cited shall identify start and completion dates."

Please clarify whether prior experience working together is required for the proposed prime/subcontractor team, or whether each proposed firm may provide its own qualifying completed project examples even if the firms have not previously performed together. Prior experience working together is not required.

If prior team experience is an evaluated consideration rather than a requirement, please confirm how that factor will be considered. The evaluation criteria is as stated in the synopsis.

The synopsis requires each cited project to identify its size, cost, scope, start date, and completion date. For purposes of reporting project "size/cost," should firms provide: the A-E contract or task-order value, the firm's professional fee, the overall construction/project value where applicable, or both the A-E fee/task-order value and underlying project value? It is only necessary to list the A-E contract or task order value.

USACE SPN - Environmental IDIQ RFI Set #2: Posted August 17, 2026

Is a resume required for every individual identified on the organization chart, or only those designated as key management and key technical personnel?

The Prime or the chosen subcontractors shall provide resumes of personnel who are certified, registered, and/or highly trained in the above disciplines. Resumes are not required for each disciplines listed above (i.e., one or two resumes for each discipline will demonstrate qualifications). For services that require any design and initial cost determination, the prime or the chosen subcontractor shall have a minimum of two qualified professional personnel must be a registered Professional Engineer in the United States and have at least five (5) years of experience in water resources planning and engineering projects. Experience working on USACE projects is desirable but not necessary.

In Section E of the SF 330, provide resumes for all key team members, whether with the prime firm or a subcontractor.List specific project experience for key team members; and indicate the team members role on each listed project (i.e. project manager, planning engineer, environmental engineer, design engineer, etc.)

PLEASE NOTE: RESUMES DO NOT COUNT AGAINST THE 70 PAGE LIMITATION.

The synopsis requires a minimum of two registered Professional Engineers with at least five years of water-resources planning/engineering experience for services involving design and initial cost determination. Is that requirement two PEs across the proposed team as a whole, or two PEs for each applicable engineering discipline? Two PEs across the proposed team as a whole.

At the SF330 stage, must those PEs hold registration in California or another specific South Pacific Division state, or is current U.S. PE registration sufficient, with state-specific registrations addressed at the task-order level?

Current U.S. Professional Engineer registration is sufficient at the SF330 stage. The synopsis requires "a registered Professional Engineer in the United States."

For Criterion E, please clarify whether "Location in the General Geographic Area of the Project and Knowledge of Locality" requires the prime contractor to maintain a physical office within the San Francisco District or South Pacific Division, or whether the criterion may be satisfied through demonstrated project experience and knowledge of the region. The criterion may be satisfied throught demonstrated project experience and knowledge of the region.

If the prime is located outside the region, will qualifying California/SPD experience and personnel from proposed subcontractors or JV/team members receive full consideration under Criterion E? Yes.

For Criterion D, may the Government consider the combined personnel and resources of the prime and committed subcontractors/team members when evaluating the ability to perform at least two $250,000 task orders simultaneously? Yes.

Please clarify the required location and level of detail for the quality-management information in the SF330.The synopsis appears to direct firms to provide a Quality Management Plan and organization chart in Section D, while subsequent language discusses the firm's Quality Control Plan/Quality Assurance of subcontractor work in Section H and indicates that the formal plan will be prepared and approved as a condition of award.

A formal Quality Management Plan is not required with the SF330 submission but will be a condition of contract award. For the submission, "In Section D of the SF 330, provide the quality management plan and organization chart for the proposed team. In Section H, describe the firms Quality Control Plan (QCP), including Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) of subcontractor work." The organization chart should be included in Section D and an 11"x17" chart will count as one page.

Please confirm:

a. What quality-control/quality-assurance narrative or plan must actually be submitted with the SF330;

b. Whether it belongs in Section D, Section H, or both; and

c. Whether the organization chart should be provided only once and, if so, in which section. See Response to Question 22.

The presentation states that resumes and PPQs do not count against the 70-page limitation. Please confirm that both exclusions apply to the final submission. The slides specifically identify PPQs as excluded.

Resumes do not count against the 70-page limit. The synopsis states, "PLEASE NOTE: RESUMES DO NOT COUNT AGAINST THE 70 PAGE LIMITATION." PPQs are also excluded.

25 Do a cover letter and/or table of contents count toward the 70-page limitation?

The synopsis states "Lengthy cover letter and generic corporation brochures or other presentation beyond those to sufficiently present a complete and effective response are not desired." A brief cover letter and table of contents may be acceptable and not count towards the page limit.

Please provide the Government's standard Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ) referenced in the synopsis and confirm whether completed PPQs should be included with the offeror's PIEE submission or transmitted directly to the Government by the client/reference, and whether the August 26 deadline applies to PPQs. The PPQ form has been uploaded with this set of RFIs.

For the estimated percentage involvement of each firm, should percentages be based on the anticipated total contract labor/fees or total level of effort, and should the percentages for all team members total 100%?

In Section H of the SF330, you are to "indicate the estimated percentage involvement of each firm on the proposed team." This is typically based on the percentage of the total estimated effort. The percentages should total 100%.

For Criterion G/Section H, please clarify whether the required volume of work during the previous 12 months includes only DoD A-E contracts/fees or all DoD contract awards to the submitting office. The conference presentation specifically refers to "DoD AE contracts awarded."

The synopsis specifies that in Section H of the SF 330, firms must "indicate the number and amount of fees awarded on DOW (Army, Navy, and Air Force) contracts during the 12 months prior to this notice". This refers to Department of Defense A-E contracts.

For PIEE submission, does the Government prefer/require one consolidated PDF containing SF330 Part I and all Part IIs, or separate files for the prime and each team member? Please also advise whether there is a required file-naming convention or upload-size limitation.

The synopsis does not specify a preference for a consolidated PDF versus separate files, nor does it detail a file-naming convention or upload size limits. It only states that submissions must be made electronically via PIEE.

Finally, please confirm whether there are any minimum professional liability/errors-and-omissions insurance requirements that must be demonstrated with the SF330 submission, as opposed to being addressed only with the selected firm during negotiations or at the task-order level.

The synopsis does not mention any minimum professional liability or errors-and-omissions insurance requirements that must be demonstrated with the SF330 submission.

Would the USACE consider extending the proposal due date by 1 to 2 weeks to allow offerors additional time to coordinate with teaming partners and prepare a thorough response that fully addresses the solicitation requirements?

The submission deadline will be extended by two weeks to September 9, 2026. The synopsis has been updated, accordingly.

Is it permissible to use a smaller font size within the Section D Organizational Chart, as well as for tables, figures, and text boxes, or must all content adhere to the minimum font size requirement specified in the RFP?

No. All proposal content must "Use no smaller than 12 font type." This applies to all text, including that in tables, figures, and text boxes.

Within the SF330 Part I proposal, is it permissible to include an additional 11" x 17" page (counting as two pages toward the page limit), or must all content be submitted on standard 8.5" x 11" pages only?

The synopsis allows for one "organization chart (11 inch x 17 inch will count as 1 Page)". No other provisions for 11" x 17" pages are mentioned.

Are the SF330 Section F Project Descriptions allowed to exceed one page, or is there a maximum page limit per project description?

The synopsis does not specify a per-project page limit for Section F. Offerors should be mindful of the overall 70-page limit for the entire SF330 Part I.

For Part 1, SF330 Sections H and I, are the subconsultants on our team expected to submit these sections, and are they included in the 16-page limit?

Subconsultants are not expected to submit their own SF330 Part I, Sections H and I. The prime contractor submits a single, consolidated SF330 Part I on behalf of the entire team. The 16-page limit applies to Section H within that single Part I submission from the prime.

For Part 1, SF330 Sections H and I, are subconsultants required to submit a SF330 Section H-I independently as part of the proposal, or are Sections H and I only required for the prime consultant?

Sections H and I are only required from the prime consultant as part of the single SF330 Part I package. Per the synopsis, offerors must submit "one completed Standard Form 330... Parts I and II and one (1) SF330 Part II for each firm that will be part of the team." This indicates a single Part I from the prime and separate Part IIs from the prime and each subconsultant.

The solicitation includes several NCIS codes; however, we did not identify an NCIS code specific to environmental services.

Could the Government clarify the appropriate NCIS code(s) for environmental planning, NEPA, environmental compliance, and related environmental support services, or confirm whether an environmental NCIS code was inadvertently omitted? The only NAICS code listed in the synopsis is 541330 - Engineering Services.

Can the Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ) be submitted separately by the proposer, such as via email, or must it be included within the proposal?

Please refer to the response for RFI #26. The PPQ form has been provided and should be included with the electronic submission in PIEE.

39 Is the PPQ submission considered part of the overall Part 1, 70-page limit, or is it excluded from the page count? See response to Question 24.

For Section F Projects, please confirm whether offerors may present a single project that was performed under multiple contracts and/or task orders, provided the work represents related, completed phases of the same overall project and collectively demonstrates the project's scope, complexity, relevance, and successful performance in support of this solicitation.

The synopsis states, "An Indefinite Delivery Contract (IDC) or Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contract (IDIQ) is not considered a project; only single task orders are projects." Therefore, work should be presented as individual task orders.

The solicitation identifies eight (8) experience areas from which ten (10) Project Descriptions should be provided as described in (i) thru (viii). The Pre Proposal Conference Slides; however, include all of these except, “HTRW phase I or II assessments”. Was this experience area intentionally removed from the list from which to prepare Project Descriptions, or should it be considered in the original (SOW) eight experience areas from which to prepare Project Descriptions?

The synopsis is the governing document and it includes "(vi) Examples of completed HTRW phase I or II assessments and groundwater characterization and monitoring plans" as a required specialized experience area. This experience should be included.

Can Project Descriptions for non-federal or commercial clients (third party to support USACE permitting requirements) be submitted/accepted (to meet the above eight [8] experience areas) and be evaluated with equal weighting as Federal (i.e., USACE) projects?

Yes, projects for non-federal or commercial clients are acceptable. However, note that "Past performance on Department of War (DOW) and other federal contracts" and "Experience working on USACE projects" are specific factors in the evaluation, so federal projects may be weighted more favorably.

Based on the description of work in the pre-solicitation, there are additional disciplines that could be critical for this type of work. Is it acceptable to include additional disciplines among our key personnel?

Yes, it is acceptable to include additional relevant disciplines. The list provided in the synopsis is not exhaustive.

We assume that since PPQs included in the proposal do not count toward the page limit, CPARS do not either. Can you please confirm? See response to Question 24.