W912P819R0015_Questions_&_Responses.pdf

Solicitation Number W912P8-19-R-0015

QUESTIONS & RESPONSES

Solicitation Number W912P819R0015

QUESTION 1: Responding firms must address each A-E Selection Criteria and clearly indicate which shall be subcontracted and provide a separate SF330 for each subcontractor as necessary. Do we submit a combined 330 Part I for the whole team not to exceed 100 pages, or do we submit a 330 Part I for the Prime and one for each subcontractor, the total of which cannot exceed 100 pages?

RESPONSE 1: The text requires the prime to detail the work that will be subcontracted, and to provide separate SF330’s for each subcontractor. Further down, it then reads: “The five selection criteria listed above must be addressed in the appropriate sections of the SF 330 for the prime firm, joint venture partners, key subcontractors, consultants and/or free-lance associates, and any other pertinent information”. Please confirm that the subcontractor SF330s are part of the overall SF330 submission package, and that a part II is to be submitted for all participating firms.

QUESTION 2: Please clarify if an entire SF330 is required for each subconsultant. Page 1 Responding firms must address each A-E Selection Criteria and clearly indicate which shall be subcontracted and provide a separate SF330 for each subcontractor as necessary. If this is true, do we use tabs to separate each sub’s SF330, and does the 100 pages apply for each SF330?

RESPONSE 2: Responding firms must address each A‐E Selection Criteria and clearly indicate what work will be subcontracted; however, a separate SF330 for each subcontractor shall not be submitted, but rather captured in the single SF330. One blended SF330 of no more than 100 pages is required.

QUESTION 3: Can we submit the Organization Chart and Section G on an 11x17 folded sheet? This is sometimes allowed on the SF-330 for the USACE though each 11x17 counts as two pages instead of one.

RESPONSE 3: The Organization Chart and Section G may be on 11" x 17" sheets as long as they are appropriately folded to 8-1/2" x 11" size.

QUESTION 4: Under Primary Criteria (c) does State of Louisiana Licensing apply to all the listed required licensed engineering staff and licensed surveyor or only to the licensed surveyor.

RESPONSE 4: The specific reference to State of Louisiana licensing in paragraph (c) under "Primary Criteria" apples to the registered land surveyor. Paragraph (b) under "Primary Criteria" addresses the professional registration requirements for all "key design personnel" including engineers.

QUESTION 5: Typically, there is a limit on the number of projects a firm can present under SF330 Section F. We understand from the text, that the only limit is the total page count. Please confirm.

RESPONSE 5: Confirmed. The only limit is the total number of pages.

QUESTION 6: Is there a requirement for a minimum number of projects performed by the prime under Section F? Which percentage or number can be from a subcontractor or a non-prime team partner?

RESPONSE 6: There is no minimum requirement, percentage, or number of projects performed by the prime and subcontractors; however the firm must determine the number of representative projects that they feel adequately present their experience, skills and abilities.

QUESTION 7: Are Section F projects limited in page count?

RESPONSE 7: No. The only limit is the total number of pages.

QUESTION 8: Must projects be complete in order to present them?

RESPONSE 8: No. Projects do not have to be complete.

QUESTION 9: Are title II or construction monitoring tasks envisioned for these task orders?

RESPONSE 9: We are not certain what is meant by "title II" work. With respect to "construction monitoring tasks", paragraph 2. (a) states that the work may involve "Engineering Design support During Construction (EDC)". Construction management of active construction projects, similar to that performed by MVN's Construction Division, is NOT envisioned for these task orders.

QUESTION 10: NAICS code 541330 Size Standard has recently changed from $15M to $16.5M. Which size standard applies to this solicitation?

RESPONSE 10: Since the effective date of the size standard change was August 19, 2019, the $16.5M will apply and the synopsis will be changed with this Amendment.

QUESTION 11: To ensure a successful delivery of the parcel, please note the working days and hours in which a courier can make a delivery at the specified address.

RESPONSE 11: New Orleans District mailroom is open from Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

CST

QUESTION 12: Section criteria b) lists the key personnel to be submitted, but criteria c) specifically requests for a number of additional key personnel, i.e. three structural engineers, three civil engineers, two geotechnical engineers, one hydraulic engineer, one cost engineer, etc. Please clarify if section E is to cover the key design personnel noted in criteria b) and criteria.

RESPONSE 12: Section 3. (b) speaks to the disciplines required to perform work under this contract.

Section 3. (c) does not request "a number of additional key personnel", but rather specifies the minimal number of each discipline required in 3. (b).

QUESTION 13: Please confirm that there are no limitations for subcontractors to participate in multiple teams.

RESPONSE 13: There are no limitations for subcontractors to participate in multiple teams.

QUESTION 14: Are tabs, cover letters, PPIRS, counted toward the 100 page count?

RESPONSE 14: Cover letters and tabs are not counted. PPIRS count toward the page limit.

QUESTION 15: Can a key candidate be submitted for more than one discipline?

RESPONSE 15: Yes, a person with multiple qualifications can fill multiple roles.

QUESTION 16: Will primes be allowed to use non-named teaming partners at the task order level?

RESPONSE 16: A joint-venture partner will have to be named and evaluated during proposal evaluations. In order for a subcontractor to be allowed at the Task Order level, a request will have to be submitted to contracting in order for a prime to use any subcontractor that is not named in the base award.

The subcontractor will have to be approved by the board and if approved, will be added to the contract via modification.

QUESTION 17: Is there a page limitation for each Resume and Project?

RESPONSE 17: No. The only limitation is for the total number of pages in the submittal SF330 (100).

QUESTION 18: Please clarify if PPIRS are the only valid proof of past performance acceptable.

RESPONSE 18: PPIRS is not the only valid proof of past performance acceptable. ACASS and PPIRS are all related to CPARS. PPIRS is the retrieval system that houses the CPARS reports once they have been completed. Past Performance Questionnaires (PPQ) will also be used to assess Past Performance.

QUESTION 19: What about CPARS/ ACASS / PPQ’s?

RESPONSE 19: ACASS and PPIRS are all related to CPARS. PPIRS is the retrieval system that houses the CPARS reports once they have been completed. Past Performance Questionnaires (PPQ) will also be used to assess Past Performance.

QUESTION 20: Will primes be allowed to use non-named teaming partners at the task order level?

RESPONSE 20: In order for a subcontractor to be allowed at the Task Order level, a request will have to be submitted to contracting in order for a prime to use any subcontractor that is not named in the base award. The subcontractor will have to be approved by the board and if approved, will be added to the contract via modification.

QUESTION 21: If this is a joint venture, I see that the prime must be able to handle at least 50% of the assigned work and must be a qualified small business. I am trying to find the most appropriate metrics to see what qualifies as a small business. I found a spreadsheet from the SBA that defines this by number of employees or annual receipts. Is this an appropriate guideline? If not, do you have a more official source?

RESPONSE 21: The appropriate guideline would be the SBA definition of what is defined at a Small business:

SBA Size Standard front page states:

"The size standards are for the most part expressed in either millions of dollars (those preceded by “$”) or number of employees (those without the “$”). A size standard is the largest that a concern can be and still qualify as a small business for Federal Government programs. For the most part, size standards are the average annual receipts or the average employment of a firm. How to calculate average annual receipts and average employment of a firm can be found in 13 CFR § 121.104 and 13 CFR § 121.106, respectively."

QUESTION 22: Also, must all of the members of a joint venture be designated small, or is it just the prime? i.e., can a SBA small prime partner with a larger firm to fulfill some of the services outlined in the solicitation?

RESPONSE 22: No they do not all have to be small. Any SB can partner (JV) with any firm regardless large or small.