Questions and Answers as of 14 March 11

1. Question: Based on your knowledge of the three "primary locations", what type of "facilities" might we encounter?
Answer: Possible horizontal construction projects may include, but are not limited to, pavement repair/replacement of roadways, parking lots, and taxiways; addition/alteration to installation access control points, repairs to sewage pump stations. Possible vertical construction projects may include, but are not limited to, vehicle maintenance shops, readiness centers, administrative offices, base supply facilities, soldier support facilities, administrative offices, and aircraft hanger addition/alterations.
2. Question: Do you want us to submit a rate schedule and/or fee proposal along with the sf330?
Answer: No. Neither is required with the SF 330 submission.
3. Question: Would you be able to provide some additional information/clarification on the professional qualifications requested/required for:
a. Energy Management Specialist
b. Communications Specialist
Answer: Energy Management Specialist - Although not inclusive, the specialist should have the capabilities to support the integration of Energy Policy Act of 2005, Executive Order 13423 of 2007, and familiarity with Army and Air National Guard policy governing energy management in all existing and future facilities. This comprehensive plan includes maximizing energy efficiency in existing/new facilities; conservation of water resources; increase use of energy efficient equipment, appliances and green products; reduction of solid waste; and reduction of dependence on fossil fuels and integration of renewable energy resources. The VTNG has started to integrate geothermal, biomass, and photovoltaic systems into their facilities.
Communication Specialist - Although not inclusive, the specialist should have capabilities to support facility telephone and data layout and design; cable plant design and layout to include wire and fiber systems; capability to support wireless communication (RF) planning and design.
4. Question: Could you provide a brief description of the professional consulting services these consultants will be required to provide?
Answer: There are no specific individual projects currently anticipated for either one of these Specialist. It is anticipated that they would contribute as part of the building design team to ensure new and renovated facilities fully integrate energy management policy into all designs and communications designs meet the growing telecommunication, data, and radio requirements for the VTNG.
5. Question: What do you anticipate the majority of the types of projects to be under this contract? Building related, site work, utility systems, other?
Answer: Anticipated needs indicate mostly building related construction/renovation work with typical associated site/utility work for each building.
6. Question: Do you anticipate an architect will be the lead on the majority of the projects?
Answer: Yes
7. Question: Do you anticipate the majority of the projects to be for new facilities or modifications/renovations to existing facilities?
Answer: There is a blend of new facilities and modifications/renovations of existing facilities, however, new facilities have an anticipated overall higher dollar value of work.
8. Question: Are all questions and responses regarding this solicitation available for review?
Answer: All questions and answers are posted with the solicitation on FedBizOpps (https://www.fbo.gov/).
9. Question: Must the firm have to meet all the requirements listed in professional qualifications (such as design)?
Answer: Evaluations will be based on the Selection Criteria as identified in the solicitation. It is anticipated that design or architect will be the lead on the majority of projects and an important player on the design team.
10. Question: Is there an incumbent.
Answer: Based on new evaluation criteria, this is considered a new requirement. There is an existing IDIQ, contract # W912LN-06-D-0001, with Smith-Alvarez-Sienkiewycz, Architects which will expire in June 2011.


Architect & Engineer IDIQ QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS W912LN-11-R-0002
3/1/2011

1. Question: Based on your knowledge of the three "primary locations", what type of "facilities" might we encounter?
Answer: Possible horizontal construction projects may include, but are not limited to, pavement repair/replacement of roadways, parking lots, and taxiways; addition/alteration to installation access control points, repairs to sewage pump stations. Possible vertical construction projects may include, but are not limited to, vehicle maintenance shops, readiness centers, administrative offices, base supply facilities, soldier support facilities, administrative offices, and aircraft hanger addition/alterations.

2. Question: Do you want us to submit a rate schedule and/or fee proposal along with the sf330?
Answer: No. Neither is required with the SF 330 submission.

The Vermont National Guard intends to award a single Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract for Architectural and Engineering (A-E) IDIQ Services. This notice is posted in its entirety and hereby serves as the official solicitation for this project. POINT OF CONTACT FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS JAMES A. BELASKI. SUBMIT QUESTIONS VIA E-MAIL TO: james.belaski@us.army.mil. The NAICS code is 541310 Architectural Services. The Standard Industrial Code (SIC) is 8712. The size standard is $4.5 Million. This action is being undertaken in accordance with the Architectural & Engineering provisions of FAR Part 36, DFARS Part 236, and as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement is being solicited on an unrestricted basis.

CONTRACT INFORMATION: Architectural and Engineering (A-E) IDIQ Services. The work requires Multi-Discipline Professional A-E Services for various projects throughout the State of Vermont (Vermont Army National Guard / Vermont Air National Guard). The selection of a Firm is not based upon competitive bidding procedures, but rather upon the professional qualifications necessary for the performance of the required services, as more fully set forth in the selection criteria. The A-E firm must be capable of responding to and working on multiple task orders concurrently. All firms responding to this announcement are cautioned to review FAR 9.5 - Organizational and Consultant Conflicts of Interest; and FAR 36.209 - Construction Contracts with Architect-Engineer Firms. Large Firms, if selected, will be required to submit will be required to submit a Small Business Subcontracting Plan in accordance with FAR 52.219-9 and DFARS 219.704/705 as a part of the Request for Proposal Package. The subcontracting plan is NOT required with the Firms SF 330.

SCOPE OF SERVICES: The Vermont National Guard intends to award one (1) Firm Fixed Price performance based Architectural & Engineering (A-E) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract, with Options, for use by National Guard activities throughout the State of Vermont (Vermont Army National Guard / Vermont Air National Guard). The A-E IDIQ contract will be established for a base period of one (1) year with options exercisable for four (4) successive one (1) year option periods. A contract minimum of $1,000 and a cumulative $10 Million ceiling will apply for the duration of the contract with no limit on individual Task Order amounts. Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Task Orders are anticipated to be awarded against the A-E IDIQ contract. The Government anticipates that this announcement will result in the award of one contract to provide services to each of three (3) primary locations (Camp Johnson, Colchester, VT; Camp Ethan Allen Training Site, Jericho, VT; and Vermont Air National Guard Base, South Burlington, VT); in addition to supporting locations/activities on a statewide basis. Accordingly, the contract will cover the primary locations but may also result in the issuance of task orders for locations/activities throughout the State of Vermont. By making a submission pursuant to this announcement, the submitting Firm acknowledges that task orders may be issued for all National Guard locations throughout the State of Vermont.

PROJECT INFORMATION: The Architectural and Engineering Services for which Task Orders may be issued for the following:

1) Design of new facilities or utility systems of various types, sizes, and complexities;
2) Rehabilitation of existing facilities or utility systems of various types, sizes, and complexities;
3) Design of projects on Army or Air Force installations;
4) Application of Anti-Terrorist/Force Protection criteria;
5) Sustainable design utilizing LEED rating tools;
6) Preparation of the development of the technical information for design-build Request for Proposals;
7) Development of construction cost estimates and schedules;
8) Design of Demolition;
9) Comprehensive planning that is related to future construction requirements on military installations; and
10) Construction phase services including commissioning, shop drawing review and preparation review of O&M manuals.

The services required for each project will be negotiated under a separate task order.

SELECTION CRITERIA: Selection of the firm will be IAW subpart 36.602 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, and will be based on the following criteria listed below in descending order of importance:

1) Professional qualifications necessary for satisfactory performance of required services in the following disciplines (not intended to be all inclusive): Architect, Civil Engineer, Electrical Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Structural Engineer, Environmental Engineer, Energy Management Specialist, Fire Protection, Interior Design, Communications Specialist, Geotechnical Engineer, Corrosion Engineer, Surveyor, Cost Estimator. Firms should provide information for one to three individuals from each design discipline that is anticipated to be assigned to key positions on the project team.
2. Specialized experience and technical competence in the type of work requiring skills similar to those anticipated for the A-E IDIQ Contract(s). Of particular interest is energy conservation, pollution prevention, waste reduction, use of recovered materials, and LEED.
3. Capacity to accomplish work in required time. Firms ability to accomplish a project(s) within required time period, given its' current projected workload and the availability of key personnel.
4. Past Performance (previous 5 years) on contracts with Government agencies and private industry in terms of cost control, quality of work, and compliance with performance schedules.
5. Location of firm in general geographical area to Colchester, VT and knowledge of the locality around Colchester, VT where the majority of the design services will be performed. A/E firms located outside the commuting distance (90 miles) of Vermont National Guard Headquarters, 789 Vermont National Guard Rd, Camp Johnson, Colchester, Vermont that wish to be considered must be willing to establish a temporary branch office, within the commuting distance, for the duration of the contract.
6. Volume of DoD work in past 12 months.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

Three (3) completed and bound paper copies and one (1) electronic copy in PDF format on CD are required for each submission. The SF 330 Part I shall not exceed sixty (60) pages. Minimum font size is 10. Except as otherwise indicated, pages shall be 8-1/2 inches by 11 inches. Where page limits are indicated for Parts/Sections of the SF 330, excess pages will not be read or considered. Each side of a sheet of paper shall be counted as a single page. Blank sheets or tabs separating the sections within the SF 330 will not count toward any page limitation. The Organizational Chart required in Section D and the Matrix required as Section G, may be presented on sheets up to 11 inches by 17 inches. If an 11 inch by 17 inch sheet is used it shall be neatly folded to 8-1/2 inches by 11 inches and bound in the SF 330 at the proper location.

SF 330, Part I, Section B: Contract Information: In Block 5, list the firms Dunn and Bradstreet (D&B) and Taxpayer Identification Number (TPIN) in addition to the name of the Firm.
SF 330, Section D: Organization Chart: In addition to the Instructions provided for the SF 330, identify the overall relationship and lines of authority of the proposed team, including key sub-consultants. (Note: All individuals listed on the organization chart are not required to have a resume in Section E, such as administrative or lower level engineering positions.)
Section F: include only 10 projects over the last five years from the time the solicitation is posted, which best illustrates the requirements for this contract. The A-E shall not include company literature with the SF 330. When listing projects in PART I, Section F an Indefinite Delivery Contract (IDC) or IDIQ contract with multiple Task Orders as an example, is not considered a project. A task order executed under an IDC/IDIQ contract is a project.

Only responses received by March 17, 2011 at 3:00 P.M. Eastern Time will be considered. No Exceptions. All submissions must be sent to VT-PFO-PC, Bldg #3 Camp Johnson, 789 Vermont National Guard Rd, Colchester, VT 05446-3099, Attention: Mr. James A. Belaski. Submittals received by FAX or EMAIL will not be accepted and will be considered non-responsive.

As required by acquisition regulations, interviews for the purpose of discussing prospective contractors' qualifications for the contracts will be conducted only for those firms considered most highly qualified after submittal review by the selection board. All questions shall be in writing to the POC listed above. Phone calls and personal visits for the purpose of discussing this solicitation with contracting/project management and or engineering personnel are not allowed. To verify your proposal has been delivered, you may e-mail james.belaski@us.army.mil. To be eligible for contract award, a firm must be registered with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database. For instructions on registering with the CCR, please see the CCR Web site at http://www.ccr.gov