1 Purpose The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) is seeking proposals from interested practitioners in the urban planning, design and related fields with expert knowledge of federal planning principles and the design review process to revise its Plan and Project Review Submission Guidelines. NCPC will award a contract to the responsible offeror whose proposal conforms to this solicitation and is most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The designated NAICS code is 925120 for the administration of urban planning and community and rural development. 2 Background The National Capital Planning Commission is the federal government’s planning agency for the National Capital Region. The 12-member Commission meets monthly to adopt, approve, or provide advice on plans, projects, and development proposals within the nation’s capital and surrounding areas. NCPC’s submission guidelines direct applicants through the agency’s consultation and review process. The guidelines explain what is required from applicants and set forth the conditions for NCPC’s review. These guidelines are a critical tool to the agency in carrying out its planning activities and implementing its regulatory authorities. The current submission guidelines were adopted in 1991, are ambiguous in certain sections and are not organized for user-friendly access. The goal is to evaluate and improve NCPC’s submission guidelines and review process to ensure that they are clear, current, consistent with agency policy, and easily accessible. The submission guidelines include: · The sequence of steps related to project review, from consultation to completion · Requirements of environmental and historic preservation documentation · Requirements for specific phases of project review · Requirements for projects that may be delegated to the Executive Director · Guidelines by limited project type (master plan, site plan, etc.) · Technical, administrative guidance on the specific requirements for submittal to the Commission, e.g., how to submit materials, number of copies to submit, contents of submission, etc. 3 Scope of Work and Deliverables The scope of work is to evaluate, and improve NCPC’s review process and submission guidelines to ensure that they are clear, current and consistent with agency policy. The contractor must have expert knowledge of federal planning principles and design review processes and a comprehensive knowledge of NCPC’s Plan and Project Review Program. Throughout the period of performance, the contractor will conduct on-site meetings and conference calls with NCPC staff to collect feedback on core issues and comments on drafts. The contractor shall provide the following services: 3.A.. Background Materials and Issues Development Task 3.A.1: The contractor will review relevant background materials, to include, but not limited to: · Existing submission guidelines. · Existing environmental and historic preservation guidelines. · Recent drafted revisions to the submission guidelines. · A list of NCPC’s authorities and related Commission actions. · The Comprehensive Plan. · Submission guidelines for 1-2 like agencies or review bodies (i.e. Maryland Capital Planning Commission). · Submission and project approval requirements for any federal, state or local agencies that NCPC may or should rely on during its review, to include but not be limited to the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of the Interior (DOI), and District Department of the Environment, Maryland Department of the Environment and Virginia Department of Resources. Task 3.A.2: The contractor will conduct a comprehensive review of the submission guidelines and identify issues and problems in consultation with Project Manager and/or Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) that should be addressed in the revision to include, but not limited to: · Whether the requirements at each phase of development are clear. · Outdated processes, regulations and Executive Orders mentioned within guidelines. · A list of major Executive Orders with implications for planning practice that could be addressed in the submission guidelines. · An assessment of the major project types (such as building, memorial, park, infrastructure) and whether each is adequately treated in the submission materials. · What types of projects are delegated to the Executive Director. · The conditions for items listed as Consent Calendar agenda. These are projects that the Commission must act upon, but without a staff presentation during its open session meetings. · Relevant project review issues not identified or adequately addressed in exiting guidelines and drafted revisions. · An assessment of the writing quality (clarity, “plain language”) Deliverables: Draft issue statement (narrative and/or annotated outline format). Task 3.A.3: The contractor will identify and interview officials of federal, state and local agencies with decisions that NCPC may rely upon in its reviews, to include but not limited to the DC SHPO, EPA, and the state environmental agencies with purview over stormwater and flooding. The purpose of the interviews is to determine how and whether to sequence those external decisions with NCPC’s requirements, to identify areas where the submission guidelines may not be sequenced appropriately and/or where content within the submission guidelines requires further development. Deliverables: A summary of responses in narrative and/or annotated graphic format. A revised issue statement that includes an analysis of the deliverable for task 3.A.2; and preliminary recommendations and broad content directions for the revised submission guidelines. 3.B. Environmental and Historic Preservation Requirements NCPC is currently updating its NEPA and Section 106 requirements. Task 3.B.1. The contractor will: · Coordinate with NCPC on NEPA and 106 requirements, including consultation meetings and review of materials. · Ensure that proposals to the submission guidelines are consistent with the revisions to the NEPA and 106 requirements. 3.C. Submission Guideline Development Task 3.C.1: The contractor will prepare an outline of potential alternative approaches to organizing the guidelines for user access. For example, consider separate sections by submission type (park, building etc.); or by geography; or by action (transfer of jurisdictions, DC projects in the central area, etc.). Contractor should consider at least two but no more than three alternative approaches to organizing the guidelines for user access. Recommend one approach to NCPC. Deliverables: An outline for the submission guidelines, including alternative approaches for organization, and a recommended approach. Task 3C.2.: The contractor will prepare drafts of the submission guidelines, to include but not limited to: 1. All proposed revisions to content 2. Revised organizational structure, as agreed to by NCPC 3. A “plain language” purpose and need statement—answer questions such as: “Why submit to NCPC?’ What’s the benefit? 4. A placeholder for a resources page, with links to relevant agencies and guidance Deliverables: · A first draft of the submission guidelines for NCPC review. · A second draft of the submission guidelines for NCPC review. · A final draft of the submission guidelines, which must be of finished-product quality for external review. This final draft will include a supplemental, annotated notes section. The purpose of the supplement is to briefly describe the purpose of each proposed change. · The final submission guidelines. 4 Period of Performance The period of performance will not exceed one year. 5 Primary Point of Contact and Questions Lucy Kempf Director, Urban Design and Plan Review and Contracting Officer’s Representative National Capital Planning Commission 401 9 th street, NW, Suite 500 North Washington, DC 20004
[email protected] Phone: 202-482-7257 6 Proposal Submission Proposals for this solicitation must be submitted in writing by 5:00 pm, August 27, 2015 . The proposal must include a detailed firm-fixed price estimate to perform the services identified in the statement of work. Proposals must be submitted electronically to
[email protected] . The following information must be printed on the cover page of the quotation: 1) Solicitation Number: NCPC-15-04 2) Due Date: August 27, 2015 3) Tax Identification Number and Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number 4) Closing Time: 5:00 pm EST. All proposals become the property of the National Capital Planning Commission and will not be returned. Proposals must include the following: Past Performance Record : The offeror shall identify three years of government past performance under one or more contracts/task orders that demonstrate relevant performance. “Relevant” is defined as work similar in complexity and magnitude to work and the work environment identified in this SOW. The NCPC is especially interested in past performance as it relates to delivery of products and services to small federal agencies. If an offeror determines it has no past performance data, it shall provide the following statement in lieu of the information requested: “(Insert offeror name) has determined that they possess no relevant past performance information in accordance with this RFQ.” For each past performance contract identified, the Offeror shall provide: Government Agency § Government Agency Size (number of full-time employees) § Project Title § Description of the Project § Contract/Task Order Number and Amount § Length of contract § Period of performance (dates) § COR, address, phone number and email address § Contracting Officer, address, telephone number and email address § Current status, e.g. completed and/or in progress, start and estimated completion dates § Quality of Past Performance narrative including a discussion of actual performance under each contract listed, including problems encountered; how they were resolved; the timeliness of deliverables required; how costs were controlled; business relationships; management of key personnel; and, any other areas deemed necessary to provide insight into actual performance issues § A brief narrative of why the offeror believes this reference is relevant to application in a small federal agency. 7 Evaluation Criteria The NCPC intends to make a single award to the responsive and responsible firm whose quote is most advantageous to the NCPC, price and non-price related factors considered. Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria: 6.1. The NCPC will evaluate the offeror’s past performance record, including how this performance would best meet the needs of a small federal agency. · Quality : Determine whether the offeror has consistently demonstrated a commitment to delivering quality products or services. · Timeliness : Determine whether offeror has consistently demonstrated a commitment too timeliness of performance. · Cost-control: Determine whether the offeror has consistently demonstrated commitment to cost control. · Business relationships: Determine whether offeror has consistently demonstrated commitment to good business relationships with their clients. Evaluation of past performance will be a subjective assessment based on consideration of all relevant facts and circumstances. It will not be based upon absolute standards of acceptable performance. If no performance record has been identified, the offeror will not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably and will receive a neutral rating on this factor. Each offeror must provide the past performance information requested or affirmatively state that it possesses no past performance record. 8 Type of Contract This is a Firm-Fixed Price Contract. 9 Small Business This solicitation is set aside for small businesses. 10 OTHER The Offeror must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) @ http://www.federalcontractorregistry.com . Vendors previously registered in the Central Contractors Registration (CCR) at www.ccr.gov must register in SAM.