Procurement

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Question and Answer
For Current Technical Proposals

Technical Proposal

Question 1: Can the Geotechnical Engineering Team Leader also serve as the Pavement Design Team Leader if they satisfy the requirements of both roles?

Answer 1: No. REVISION: Yes, provided that the applicant can meet the requirements of each specific area. By degree, license, time, and experience.

Question 2: Can we propose one team leader for two tasks, example roadway design and traffic design? Also can we propose a project manager to be a bridge design team lead?

Answer 2: Yes, as long as their resume indicates proper experience in both areas.

Question 3: Can a BS in Biology or Geology meet the degree requirements for the Environmental Science Team Leader?

Answer 3: Yes.

Question 4: In lieu of a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science, may the Environmental Science team leader have a BA in Biology and a MS in Ecology?

Answer 4: Yes.

Question 5 : The Education Requirement forEnvironmental Science Task Manager has been limited to a degree in Environmental Sciences. Can an individual with a civil engineering degree with more than 25 years’ experience managing Environmental documents and permits for bridge projects over waterways qualify for Environmental Task leader?

Answer 5:  Based on the standard requirements, an Engineering Degree would meet the requirement as long as the individual also meets the necessary requirements for years and type of experience. If the individual meets these conditions, an Engineering Degree is acceptable.

Question 6:  Can a Bachelor of Technology in Transportation with a NJ PE License fulfill the BS in Engineering requirement for Utility Team Leader?

Answer 6:  The BSET with a NJ PE is acceptable.

Question 7:   Since some of the bridges in the list are not over water, please consider eliminating the H-3 “Hydrology and Hydraulics” requirement. This will also allow more competition. As an alternative, if the Department decides not to eliminate this requirement, please consider requiring the prime to use a subconsultant to meet the H-3 requirement.

Answer 7:  No, The representative project is over water and the prime must be prequalified in all of the disciplines, and we cannot force a prime to sub out a specific discipline.

Question 8:  In regards to the number of projects required on each Task Leaders resume, the instructions state that “Only the first 3 similar projects for a Key Staff/Team Leader will be evaluated”, however, under each Task leader section, the number of projects required shows varying numbers. How many projects are required/will be graded for each resume?

Answer 8:  For task leaders, each task leader must meet the number of projects based on the category along with applicable time, credentials, and experience.  If one person is being considered for multiple positions, that person will need to show their credentials for any/each additional task leader position separately.

Question 9: The requirements for the hydraulics and hydrology engineer are quite extensive. Yet only one project is allowed to demonstrate experience with many tasks. It is unusual for one project to incorporate all of those tasks. Can this requirement be extended to 2 projects?

Answer 9: No.

Question 10: Will you allow the Part 5, Section 12, two (2) EXTRA 8 ½”x 11” PAGES …FOR PICTURES, X-SECTIONS, …, ETC. to be 11” x 17” instead?

Answer 10: Yes, and see answer 18.

Question 11: Do you want Business Registration Certificates and Non-Involvement in Prohibited Activates in Iran forms from every firm on a team or just the Prime firm at time of proposal submission?

Answer 11: Only the prime at the time of technical proposal submission.

Question 12: Please advise if 11” x 17” is acceptable for the Critical Path Model pages?

Answer 12:Yes, and see answer 18.

Question 13: Under section 10 on page 3 of the instructions, it is stated that “up to 6 projects may be listed for each Team Leader.” However, under part 4, section 10 of the evaluation criteria, it is stated to list “up to 3 similar projects for the proposed Key Staff/Team Leader.” Further, there is a different number of projects listed underneath each Team Leader in Section 10 of the evaluation criteria. What is the number of projects required for each Team Leader resume?

Answer 13: Use the number of projects listed under each Team Leader in Section 10. The Instructions are general guidelines, while the Evaluation Criteria forms are the project specific requirements.

Question 14: Can 11x17 sheets be used for graphics in lieu of 8.5 x 11 sheets as noted in Part 5 of TP?

Answer 14: Yes, see answers #10 and #12 above, and #18 below.

Question 15: The requirements for the geotechnical engineering team leader entail quite a large number of geotechnical design categories, yet only 2 projects are allowed to demonstrate experience. Can the number of projects be extended?

Answer 15: No.

Question 16: Meeting the extensive requirements for Key Staff/Team Leader for the Hydraulics and Hydrology Task in only 1 project is very difficult and unusual. Only a few, extremely large projects, incorporate all of the experience necessary to meet these requirements. The Design of Retention/Detention Basins along with performing Scour Analysis is rarely required on the same project. We believe that in order to demonstrate experience with all of these tasks will require the vast majority of Key Staff/Team Leaders to list at least 2 projects. Will the NJDOT reconsider allowing the evaluation of more than 1 project to meet these requirements?

Answer 16: No.

Question 17: For geotechnical services does NJDOT expect that a subsurface exploration program wouldbe included under Activity 3095 during PE? The activity description notes this is determined on a case-by-case basis. Based on past experience we would recommend this be included in PE and will then streamline the FD process.

Answer 17: Cannot be answered, your firm can address the issue in your technical proposal project approach write-up.

Question 18: Please advise if 11” x 17” is acceptable for the Organization Chart.

Answer 18: Yes, the schedule, the organizational chart, and the two extra pages for pictures, cross sections etc. can be on 11” x 17” size. Please note that NO ADDITIONAL NARRATIVE BEYOND THE (X) PAGE LIMIT WILL BE EVALUATED and those pages will be 8 ½” x 11” size. Also note that since the submission is a pdf only, a hard copy of the submission may or may not be printed out by the Technical Evaluation Committee when reviewing.

Question 19: In lieu of a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science, may the Environmental Science Team Leader have a Bachelors Degree in Natural Resources and a Masters in Environmental Studies?

Answer 19: Yes.

Question 20: The Scope of Work in the Solicitation states that no permanent ROW is required. The CD Report identifies partial acquisitions from several properties. Please clarify.

Answer 20: The CD report is correct.

Question 21: The solicitation indicates that the bridge is to be built in 3 stages. The CD Report proposes a 2-stage sequencing. Please clarify.

Answer 21: There is a pre-stage, which can be referred to as an additional stage, otherwise the CD report is correct.

Question 22: In the RFP Scope of Work Section, C. Traffic Operation and Construction, page 8, it notes that “ The Route 130 Big Timber Creek Bridge will be closed for one to two weeks during demolition”  However, in the CD report, page 21, it notes “Route 130 is a Route 295 emergency detour route. Traffic Operation requested that one lane along Route 130 remains open at all times”.   Based on above, kindly confirm that The Route 130 Big Timber Creek Bridge will be closed for one to two weeks during demolition

Answer 22: Depending on how the designer would develop their plans, a temporary closure (short term, XX minutes during the overnight hours) may be required at times over a one to two week period for beam removal and placement, as an example. However, there is no permanent long term closure.

Question 23: Please confirm that projects from other agencies will count towards the experience requirement.

Answer 23: Follow the instructions in the posting, PM and Key Staff have separate type of experience requirements.

Question 24: Since the H&H resume is limited to only one project, does the design of a “detention” basin (dry basin) and a “retention” basin (wet basin) need to be included on that single project? Since it is very rare that a project would have both types of basins, would full resume credit be given for the design of only a detention basin for the chosen project?

Answer 24: Not knowing the full contents of the resume, this question cannot be answered.

Question 25: Under the ITS Team Leader, there is a requirement “Design of Traffic Management Center”, is that only referring to the design of the Traffic Management Center in Woodbridge? If so, can you consider broadening or eliminating this as a requirement under the ITS?

Answer 25: No, as it is listed, it is under similar project experience.

Question 26: The requirements for an Electrical team leader is limited to those having a BSEE, will the department consider a candidate with a MSCE and BSCE together with over 25 years of experience in designing and managing ITS and Electrical Engineering tasks as meeting the requirements for the Electrical Engineering Team Leader assuming that the individual meets the requirements for years and types of experience?

Answer 26: No.

Question 27: For Team Leaders wherein NJDOT experience is listed in the requirements, can that experience be demonstrated on one NJDOT project and the balance on other agency projects and still receive full credit?

Answer 27: Not knowing the full contents of the resume, this question cannot be answered.

Question 28: Can Microsoft Project be used as an alternate to Primavera, and if yes, will using Microsoft Project result in a deduction of points on the proposal submittal?

Answer 28: No.

Question 29: What level of detail is required for the final design part of the critical path model as listing only milestones has resulted in only half credit in the past; will you be penalized for including a full final design schedule?

Answer 29: Since the critical path model is part of the scoring criteria, an answer cannot be provided during the technical proposal solicitation phase.

Question 30: Why is it necessary for the Geotech Engineering Task Leader to have “Performed Pavement Design” when there is a separate task lead position for Pavement Design? Can this criteria be removed from the Geotech lead experience?

Answer 30: Yes, this criteria is not required for the Geotechnical Team Leader.