Z1DA-- 529-22-101 Replace Bldg. #7 Master Control Panel

The purpose of this amendment to solicitation 36C24424R0075 is as follows:

Extend the proposal due date to 11/12/2024 at 4:00 PM (ET)

Publish the 10/17/2024 site visit sign-in sheet

The purpose of this amendment to solicitation 36C24424R0075 is as follows:

1) Schedule a second site-visit for 10/17/2024 at 1:00 PM

2) Extend the RFI due date from 10/14/2024 to 10/21/2024.

All individuals planning to attend the site visit shall meet at the following location:

Butler VA Medical Center

325 New Castle Road

Building 46

Butler, PA 16001

Whether the submission of Standard Form 1442, Bid Guarantee, and completed Representations and Certifications alone constitutes a complete proposal, or if additional responses to the seven evaluation factors on Page 10 are required.

Proposals must include the documents listed in the solicitation, and the proposal price must be included on the Standard Form 1442.

These document alone do not constitute a complete proposal. Offerors must clearly demonstrate how they meet the technical acceptability criteria listed on page 10 and 11 of the solicitation. The technical portion will be evaluated on an Acceptable/Unacceptable basis. Past performance is included in the criteria for technical acceptability.

Whether detailed instructions for the proposal s format and content will be provided, or if there are specific guidelines we should follow that were not included in the solicitation

Proposals should clearly demonstrate how they meet the Technical Acceptability criteria on page 10 and 11 of the solicitation. Proposals will NOT be ranked, only given a rating of Acceptable or Unacceptable based on information provided in the proposal.

I have been reviewing the solicitation documents for the above-referenced project. I am having a hard time finding the proposal instructions on what should be submitted as part of our technical proposal. This is all I found:

In order to be effectively and equitably evaluated, the proposals must include information sufficiently detailed to clearly describe the offeror's Technical Ability, Past Performance, and Price, to successfully complete the project. I do not see where it is identified as to what we are required to submit under technical ability and past performance.

Award will be made to the lowest offeror deemed technically acceptable based on the factors below. This just looks like evaluation criteria.

The technical portion will be evaluated on an Acceptable/Unacceptable basis. Offerors must clearly demonstrate how they meet the criteria listed on page 10 and 11 of the solicitation. Past performance is included in the criteria for technical acceptability. Proposals will NOT be ranked, only evaluated for acceptability based on information provided in the proposal. Be advised this solicitation is being evaluated as Lowest Price Technically Acceptable as opposed to a tradeoff.

Regarding:Â Solicitation Pages 9 - 11: Sections 2 (Submittal of Proposals), 3 (Proposal Evaluation Process), and 4 (?). The solicitation states: "...the proposals must include information sufficiently detailed to clearly describe the offeror's Technical Ability, Past Performance, and Price, to successfully complete the project." "Offerors must comply with the detailed instructions for the format and content of the proposal. Proposals that do not comply with the detailed instructions may be rejected."

RFI:Â The solicitation appears to be missing the "detailed instructions for the format and content of the proposal". For example, there is no section for Past Performance, the Technical Ability section is currently assumed to be the Factor/Rating chart on Pages 10 and 11, and the Factor 3 - Price section starts at 4.3 (4.1 and 4.2 are missing, unless this is mis-numbered). Please provide the instructions or advise if the Offeror is simply to answer each of the Factor/Rating chart items in a question/answer format to be compliant.

The offeror is to address how they meet the technical acceptability criteria in their proposal. Detailed Instructions is holdover language and will not be addressed beyond what is already provided in the solicitation. The price section is mis-numbered and should read 3.5.

Regarding:Â Solicitation Pages 9 - 10: Section 2.3. The solicitation states: "Per federal regulation, a digital submission will not be considered late if it is submitted by close of business day prior to the submission due date. Any submission that arrives after the due date and time will be considered late regardless of the circumstance if it is not submitted by close of business the day prior. Close of business is defined by the FAR at 4:30 pm based off the time zone of the contracting office is located."

RFI:Â This appears to read that any proposal submitted on the actual due date of November 1, 2024, and before the due time of 3:00 PM ET will be considered late. Please advise if proposals submissions, in order to not be considered late, must be submitted by/before October 31, 2024, at 4:30 PM ET. We have never encountered this situation before. Normally, Offerors are permitted to submit up to the due date and time to be considered on-time.

Proposals won t be deemed late unless they are submitted after 3:00 PM on 11/1/24.

RFI:Â Please provide the FAR Clause that stipulates the "federal regulation" referenced above.

This is not a clause but is a part of the Federal Acquisition Regulation that we are held to. FAR 15.208(b)(1)(i) covers the submission guidelines referenced above. Proposals won t be deemed late unless they are submitted after 3:00 PM on 11/1/24 for this procurement.

INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS

PROCEDURES FOR SUBMITTAL OF OFFERS AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

1. Overview.

The intent of this solicitation is to select one contractor to provide professional construction services in accordance with the Statement of Work (SOW), Drawings, Specifications, etc. for the Replace Bldg. #7 Master Control Panel (Project 529-22-101).

The Government intends to use the Best Value Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) process source selection approach in accordance with FAR 15.101-2. Award will be made to the lowest-price responsible offeror whose proposal conforms to the solicitation s requirements and is technically acceptable.

2. Submittal of Proposals.

2.1 Offerors submitting proposals for this project must limit submissions to data essential for evaluation of proposals so that a minimum of time and monies will have been expended in preparing information required herein. However, in order to be effectively and equitably evaluated, the proposals must include information sufficiently detailed to clearly describe the offeror's Technical Ability, Past Performance, and Price, to successfully complete the project. Innovative, creative, or cost-saving proposals that meet or exceed the requirements should be clearly noted and justified in the proposal.

2.2 Offerors must comply with the detailed instructions for the format and content of the proposal. Proposals that do not comply with the detailed instructions may be rejected.

The Offeror must complete and submit Offer on Standard Form 1442. The Offeror must submit a price based on the line items. Note: If discussions or negotiations occur, the Government may require additional cost information.

Discounts: Prompt payment discounts will not be considered in the evaluation of offers.

In the event a minor clerical error has occurred, the Offeror may be given an opportunity to correct the minor error within the constraints of the clarifications process or the Contracting Officer determines discussions are required.

2.3 No hard copies will be accepted. Per federal regulation, a digital submission will not be considered late if it is submitted by close of business day prior to the submission due date. Any submission that arrives after the due date and time will be considered late regardless of the circumstance if it is not submitted by close of business the day prior. Close of business is defined by the FAR at 4:30 pm based off the time zone of the contracting office is located.

3. Proposal Evaluation Process.

3.1 A Source Selection Evaluation Board (SSEB) comprised of representatives of the Department of Veterans Affairs will evaluate the proposals. SSEB may also include Architect and Engineering firm non-voting members. The identities of the SSEB personnel are confidential, and any attempt by the offerors to contact these individuals is prohibited. The evaluation will be based on the content of the submitted proposal and any subsequent discussions initiated by the Government, as well as information obtained from other sources, e.g., past performance information. Offerors are advised that the technical evaluation will be conducted in strict confidence in that technical ability and past performance information submitted will be reviewed without knowledge of the price offered. During deliberation, the number and identities of offerors will not be revealed to anyone who is not involved in the evaluation and award process or to other offerors.

3.2 Evaluation of the proposals will begin no later than five (5) business days after receipt of proposals and continue until the successful offeror is identified. The SSA, or Contract Specialist (CS) shall determine that offerors are not on the Excluded Parties list and are listed in the System for Award Management and the Small Business Administration (SBA) as applicable. Offerors that do not comply with the terms of the solicitation shall receive no further consideration for award.

3.3 The Government intends to use the Best Value Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) process source selection approach in accordance with FAR 15.101-2. Award will be made to the lowest offeror deemed technically acceptable based on the factors below:

Factor

Rating

Industrial construction experience directly related to boiler and process plant equipment and controls.

ACCEPTABLE | UNACCEPTABLE

Construction experience and knowledge gained coordinating and implementing detailed project phasing requirements while facilitating related ICRA requirements, ICRA barrier transitions, circulation-path impacts, and life-safety considerations for projects involving phased partial or full unit/program area closures.

ACCEPTABLE | UNACCEPTABLE

Construction experience and knowledge gained mobilizing and managing prime and subcontractor crews across multiple shifts per day when required to meet a compact schedule of delivery or limit disturbance to critical areas / utilities. This shall include keeping plants operational during improvement operations and scheduling of work to ensure operations are not impacted.

ACCEPTABLE | UNACCEPTABLE

Experience working in a mission critical facility and managing the phasing associated with a project in such a facility while ensuring that the facility remains operational at all times.

ACCEPTABLE | UNACCEPTABLE

Construction experience and knowledge gained preparing/lifting/setting large equipment into occupied and operational facilities. The plans should showcase the execution of these tasks including strategies and outcomes to provide a comprehensive understanding of the teams capabilities in this area.

ACCEPTABLE | UNACCEPTABLE

Construction experience and knowledge gained preparing/lifting/setting large equipment (e.g., Roof fans) into/onto occupied and operational facilities.

ACCEPTABLE | UNACCEPTABLE

Experience managing long lead time acquisitions with minimal project delays. Contractor shall provide narrative on how items with long lead times ( 1-18 months) will be managed for this project. Contractor shall also identify potential long lead time items.

ACCEPTABLE | UNACCEPTABLE

3.4 The Source Selection Authority will send the lowest priced proposal to the SSEB members who will evaluate for technical acceptability as defined by the criteria listed above. If deemed technically acceptable, award will be made. If deemed unacceptable, the next lowest priced proposal will be sent for review. This process continues until award is made.

4.3 Evaluation Factor 3 - Price

The price will be evaluated by the Government for being fair and reasonable, in accordance with FAR 15.404-1(b).