Loren Data's SAM Daily™

FBO DAILY ISSUE OF AUGUST 23, 2009 FBO #2829
MODIFICATION

M -- Modification to Concession Contract for Retail Merchandise and Food Service within Fort McHenry National Monument

Notice Date

8/21/2009
 

Notice Type

Modification/Amendment
 

Contracting Office

NER - Concessions Management National Park Service, 15 State Street Boston MA 02109
 

ZIP Code

02109
 

Solicitation Number

FOMC001-10
 

Response Due

9/1/2009
 

Archive Date

8/21/2010
 

Point of Contact

Kathleen M. Karhnak Acting Concessions Specialist 2155977062 Kathleen_Karhnak@nps.gov;
 

E-Mail Address

Point of Contact above, or if none listed, contact the IDEAS EC HELP DESK for assistance
(EC_helpdesk@NBC.GOV)
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Description

The following notice is or will soon be available on the National Park Service Concessions website athttp://www.concessions.nps.gov/images/webpages/Prospectus/FOMC001.cfm National Park Service (NPS)Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine and Hampton National Historic Site (park) Solicitation No. FOMC001-10 for the Operation of Retail Merchandise and Food ServiceAmendment to Prospectus and Answers to questions received in response to Solicitation No. FOMC001-10 The Prospectus is amended as follows: 1. The following global changes apply to instructions, prospectus package, draft contract, exhibits to the draft contract, appendices, announcements, and all other materials associated with Solicitation No. FOMC001-10: a. All references to the email address NER_FOMC_Concessions@nps.gov are replaced with the email address Kathleen_Karhnak@nps.gov. b. All references to Section X. of the operating plan or Section X. of the draft operating plan are replaced with Section IV. of the operating plan or Section IV. of the draft operating plan. 2. The draft Operating Plan is amended as follows: a. In Section III.C., after the sentence, The Education and Administrative Center is normally open 8:00 AM to 4:45 PM., the following sentence is added: The park will ensure that the Concessioner has access to the necessary assigned areas for a reasonable amount of time before and after operating hours, both for regular and extended operations. b. In Section IV.B., after the sentence The Concessioner must use a service entry door to gain access to storage areas inside the Education and Administrative Center where food is stored so that food is not being carried through the public areas of the Education and Administrative Center, the following sentence is added: As an exception to this requirement, the Concessioner may transport prepared boxed lunches through the lobby area of the Education and Administrative Center when delivering them to the multipurpose room. c. The following sentence will be added to the end of Section IV.B.3.: The concessioner will not be responsible for clean-up after it delivers the boxed lunches, either in the multipurpose room or in outdoor areas. The visitors will be responsible for their own clean-up; the park staff will communicate this to the visitors and will have responsibility for any residual clean-up after the visitors are finished. d. In Section IV.B.4.d., the sentence No food or beverage sold by the Concessioner may contain trans fats is deleted and the following is inserted in its place: No food or beverage sold by the Concessioner may contain artificial trans fats whose nutrition facts label or other documentation from the manufacturer lists the trans fat content of the food as 0.5 grams or more per serving. All other terms and conditions of Solicitation No. FOMC001-10 remain unchanged. Questions and Answers: 1. Visitor Center visitation for 2008 was 331,193 versus the 598,050 recreational visits. Why are you not showing the number of people who actually entered the visitor center? Roughly only 56.5% of the visitors to the Park use the Visitor Center. Do you anticipate any changes to the number of people using the new Visitor center? Why? Do you think any prospective bidder might be interested in this information? Answer: The current visitor center is designed only to accommodate 250,000 visitors per year. The park estimates conservatively that it currently turns away over 20% of school groups requesting a reservation to view the film due to lack of space to accommodate them. The new facility will be approximately three times as large as the current visitor center and the new film, which will be shown in a larger space than the current theater, will run twice as often as the current film. These factors will contribute to the parks being able to accommodate a greater percentage of groups who call for reservations. Currently, many visitors bypass the visitor center and go straight to the star fort. The design of the new visitor center itself is made to contribute to the interpretation of the site and, while not intruding on the historic landscape, it is more visible to visitors arriving by automobile and via the water taxi. The new landscaping is designed to guide visitors through the visitor center. Additionally, we anticipate that more visitors will enter the visitor center for purposes of using basic services such as restrooms. As part of the construction for the new facility, the current stand-alone restrooms will be removed. Visitors who come to the park by land will enter the building through a vestibule that borders the retail space and those who walk from the parking lot to the information desk will walk past the retail space. Visitors entering from the water side of the building will have a clear line of sight to the retail space from the information desk. The intent is to attract more of the visitors who enter to use basic services to stay to experience the visitor center. For these reasons, the plans for the new facility are based on an expectation that it will serve significantly more visitors than the current visitor center does. 2. Even though the new shop will be 2 1/2 times larger, we noted that our current shop has 103 lineal feet of shelving, while the new shop only has 141 lineal feet -- or only 1 /3 more. Is the 141 lineal feet correct? Answer: The casework located around the perimeter of the sales room is composed of countertop space and several different types of shelving. This combination provides the sales room with approximately 189 linear feet of shelving. The layout plan also shows display casework located in the center of the space, which adds approximately 8 more lineal feet of shelving. The combined total in the plans for the new facilitys retail space is approximately 197 lineal feet of shelving. 3. The contract effective date is August 1, 2010. If the Visitor Center is delayed, does that mean the contract will start later as well? Answer: As stated in the business opportunity, the new facility is expected to be completed and ready for occupancy approximately August 2010 and the existing Visitor Center will need to be demolished. The draft contract will not provide for operation in the existingVisitor Center. The draft contract lists August 1, 2010 as the effective date with the following footnote: The effective date of the Contract is subject to change prior to contract award if determined necessary by the Service due to transfer timing issues. The expiration date will be changed to continue the same term length from any effective date. This footnote is to be deleted prior to contract execution. 4. How many weeks prior to the official opening of the new Visitor Center will the contract start? Answer: Actual occupancy will be determined after contract award. 5. Will the current concessioner stay open in the existing Visitor Center until the new Visitor center will open? Answer: Yes. 6. Is the current Visitor Center scheduled to stay open until the new Visitor Center opens? Answer: Yes. 7. The prospectus is unclear whether the NPS is charging for electric, garbage or other utilities. It states they will be provided, but nothing further. If there is a charge, at what rates so that we may indicate the appropriate amounts in your spreadsheets for Principal Factor 4. Answer: The NPS will not charge for utilities, including garbage removal, under the new contract. The cost to the NPS for utilities will be recovered through the franchise fee. As part of its basic janitorial responsibilities, the concessioner will be responsible for taking concessions garbage to the dumpsters. The concessioners responsibilities for implementing a recycling program are contained in the draft Operating Plan. 8. Can we have some input on the amount of electric, water, sewage for the gift shop and the area for food service that will be needed if our bid is selected? Answer: The park will accept input from the incoming concessioner on these issues. The park will then determine based on cost implications, design flexibility and stage of construction whether the requested changes are possible. 9. The operating plan on page 4, B #5, makes no reference to discounts for federal employees on official business as outlined on page 5 a)3) of the contract. Why the discrepancy? Answer: Section 3 (f)(3) of the contract states: The Concessioner will provide Federal employees conducting official business reduced rates for lodging, essential transportation and other specified services necessary for conducting official business in accordance with guidelines established by the Director. Complimentary or reduced rates and charges shall otherwise not be provided to Federal employees by the Concessioner except to the extent that they are equally available to the general public. The Service believes, because the types of visitor services provided under FOMC001-10 do not include lodging, essential transportation or other specified services typically necessary for conducting official business in accordance with guidelines established by the Director, that the new Concessioner will not provide discounts for federal employees. 10. If the food carts operate beyond the hours of the Visitor Center is open, can the concessioner have access to the assigned areainside the Visitor Center for storage and refrigeration? Answer: Section III.C. of the draft Operating Plan (subtitled Schedule of Operation) states that the Concessioner will not operate any services when the Education and Administrative Center is closed. Section III.C.3. states that Both the retail and the food service operation(s) will remain open during Tattoo Ceremonies, Defenders Day, Flag Day and other special events for which the Education and Administrative Center remains open beyond regular closing time. The park will ensure that the Concessioner has access to the necessary assigned areas for a reasonable amount of time before and after operating hours, whether or not the operating hours are extended. The final operating plan will include information to indicate this. See Amendment to Prospectus, Item 2. a. 11. When box lunches are served in the multipurpose room, is the concessioner responsible for the clean-up of that room? Towhat degree? Answer: The park will be responsible for ensuring the clean-up of the multipurpose room. The final operating plan will include information to clarify this. See Amendment to Prospectus, Item 2. c. 12. How many tables and chairs are provided in the multipurpose room? This is to understand how many school children will be eating in the room at any one time. Answer: A furniture plan has not been developed at this time. The occupancy for this space is limited to 50 persons. 13. Most school groups bring their own lunch. Will the NPS share the school reservation contact information so that we may offer the groups box lunches, etc. in advance? Answer: When groups make reservations, they will be informed of the boxed lunch option and given the concessioners contact information. 14. The operation Plan pg 8b states that we must use the service entry for the storage area and not to use the public areas. However we note, to deliver box lunches from the service entry or storage room, we must travel around the restroom corridor, through the main entrance to the multipurpose room. Is this correct? The concessioner will be permitted to carry the boxed lunches through the public area of the visitor center to the multipurpose room. The final operating plan will be corrected to indicate this. See Amendment to Prospectus, Item 2. b. 15. It states no trans-fats will be served. This should be modified to "except those that occur naturally." For example, meat naturallyhas trans-fats. Is this change possible? Answer: Yes, this change will be accommodated in the final operating plan. See Amendment to Prospectus, Item 2. d. 16. What type of lighting is planned for the retail space? We did not see it on the drawing? Answer: The lighting specifications are attached to the document posted at http://www.concessions.nps.gov/images/webpages/Prospectus/FOMC001.cfm. 17. How much electric will available at the Food & Beverage stand? Answer: (2) NEMA L-30 Receptacles with WP While-In-Use Enclosure connected to 30 amp circuit breaker receptacle; (3) NEMA 5-20R GFI Duplex Receptacles w/ Weatherproof Enclosure connected to 20 amp circuit breaker This is the same amount of power that is currently provided for the outside vendor at Fort McHenry. 18. At the Food & Beverage stand, will drainage be provided for a sink? Answer: Drainage is not provided at the food and beverage stand. The current food cart has a self-contained sink unit. 19. Secondary Selection Factor 2 page 26, states the point value of this question is zero. Is this correct? Answer: Yes. As noted on page 26 of the proposal package, The subfactor for this Secondary Selection Factor requests information about services which are authorized but not required by the contract. You will not be assigned points for your response to this Secondary Selection Factor. The winning proposals response to this Secondary Selection Factor will be incorporated into the final Operating Plan which the Concessioner will be required to carry out. 20. What material is the floor in the gift shop? Answer: The floor material in the concessioner-assigned spaces will be as follows:Sales Area: CarpetSales Office: VCTSales Storage: VCTMulti-Purpose: CarpetBreak Room: Carpet 21. We note extremely low visitation at Hampton HS. Can you elaborate more on the type of visitors - students versus families versus ladies luncheons so that we could create box lunches for that audience? Answer: Hampton NHS delivered programs to 534 students in 2007, 986 students in 2008, and 2054 in 2009. Visitors touring as part of a family group numbered 29,878 in 2007, 32,903 in 2008 and 37,446 in 2009. Visitors touring as parts of other groups (including clubs, civic organizations, commercial tour groups, etc.) numbered 250 in 2007, 750 in 2008, and 2,500 in 2009. Boxed lunches may be offered through the group reservation service to these groups. Another potential audience is Hampton NHS Friends Group which currently offers programs for a fee on-site approximately six times per year. These programs also require reservations and a box lunch could be incorporated into their programs. These are the primary user groups from which the park regularly receives reservations right now; there may be other potential user groups who would make use of advance-reservation box lunches. The park does not have any visitor groups defined as ladies luncheons. 22. Please provide more information regarding the new visitor center. Answer: Fort McHenrys current 5,700 square-foot visitor center was built in 1964 to accommodate 250,000 visitors annually, and was in fact inadequately sized even at the time it was built. Current annual visitation is over 600,000. Visitor service space in thebuilding is approximately 3,600 s.f. and the auditorium seats 70. The new visitor center will be approximately triple the space of the current facility. It will be sited along the east edge of the current parking lot, as shown in the plans included in the prospectus. The building will extend out into the current parking area a bit, but the configuration of the parking lot will mean that few parking spaces are lost. It will be visible to some extent from the water, although not from the Inner Harbor. It will be more obvious as the first place for visitors to stop, whether the visitor is arriving by automobile or via the water taxi, which discharges its passengers at the northeast edge of the park. Currently, visitors, especially those arriving by water, often make their way through the grounds and to the fort without stopping at the visitor center. The new location was chosen in part to increase the proportion of visitors who enterthe visitor center. Each of the trees marked with orange paint near its base will be removed. We will be planting at least twice as many trees as those being removed. There will be a bus drop-off area at the front of the new visitor center. This will be particularly helpful for school groups so that children can get off buses and come directly into the visitor center, experience the visitor center, then proceed to the star fort without having to cross the parking lot on foot. The new visitor center will provide a much-improved visitor experience with significantly expanded exhibit space, new exhibitry, and better administrative space for the staff. The current interpretive film ends with the curtains opening to reveal the flag flying over the fort; that experience is very moving for most visitors and will remain as part of the visitor experience. There will be a window on the south end of the visitor center which will provide that view of the fort and its flag at the end of the film. Even the outer faade of the building will be interpretive. Designed by GWWO Architects, Inc., of Baltimore, the building will be comprised of two sweeping elements one of strong red brick like the fort and the red stripe in the Star-Spangled Banner, the other of polished metal symbolizing the white stripe. The new location will be less intrusive on the cultural landscape than the current visitor center is. The old visitor center will be demolished. The parks web site and the architects web site are two sources of information about the new facility. 23. What does the mulched pathway on the grounds indicate? Answer: The mulched pathway is the redirected pathway for pedestrian traffic during construction. The current pathway between the water and the star fort will be disrupted by the construction. 24. What do the bricked outlines on the grounds represent? Answer: The bricked outlines show where buildings were located during various times of the forts operational life, including a hospital building and barracks. 25. Will the retail space be LEED certified? Answer: We anticipate that the facility itself will be certified with a LEED silver rating under the LEED rating system for new construction. There are separate LEED rating systems for categories such as retail space and leased space. We are not pursuing those separate certifications. 26. Does the park hold special events that the concessioner would or might cater? Answer: The park holds special events, and as stated in the prospectus, the park may request the concessioner to extend its operational hours to accommodate special events. The parks special events commonly attract 3,000 visitors on average. We would want the food cart to stay open during these events. Catering is not a part of the draft contract. The largest special events tend to be Defenders Day in September, and Flag Day in June. We also have tattoos in the summertime. This summer we are having two tattoos; last summer we had three. We also hold one-time special events. For example, when Michael Phelps came home with a gold medal, there was an event at the park re-enacting the medal ceremony with an estimated crowd of 12,000. Fort McHenry was the venue because of how prominently the flag and the Star Spangled Banner are featured when an American wins a gold medal. 27. Is there food prep space for the boxed lunches? Answer: The space assigned to the concessioner, as listed in the prospectus, is the total space assigned to the concessioner. There is no additional prep space assigned. There is space in the storage area for a refrigerator. There is no industrial kitchen as part of the new facility. 28. Currently, there is a bathroom facility unconnected with the visitor center. Will there be bathrooms inside the new visitor center? Answer: Yes, bathrooms will be located inside the visitor center. The park currently has a separate building for visitor bathrooms because the bathrooms inside the visitor center are not fully accessible (i.e., ADA compliant). Additionally, there are bathrooms located in the star fort. The new visitor center bathrooms will be fully compliant with accessibility requirements. The stand-alone bathroom facility will be demolished as part of the construction of the new facility and will not be replaced. Once the new facility opens, public bathrooms will be in the visitor center and the star fort only. 29. Are the food carts presently on site the property of the current concessioner? Answer: Yes, the two carts seen on site presently are the property of the current concessioner. 30. Where are the food carts stored? Answer: Presently, the carts are stored by rolling down the flaps over the carts openings and moving the carts back towards the building. The carts are on wheels. The storage is open-air storage with no enclosure. The off-season storage for the carts is in the same location as where they are stored on-season, after hours. The storage space for the carts at the new facility will continue to be open-air storage with no enclosure, located adjacent to the north end of the new visitor center, east of the service access/loading dock. The concessioner will also have the option to store them elsewhere, off site, if it so chooses. 31. Is the current location of the food carts the concrete pads referenced in the prospectus as the site for the food carts in the new contract? Answer: No. Under the new contract, the food carts will be located near the new visitor center as shown on the site plan included in the prospectus. The new area for the food carts will include planned picnic areas and safe, naturally attractive gathering areas for school groups, camp groups and the like. There will be earthworks and other landscaping that encourages groups to gather in spaces near the visitor center. Currently, visitors, especially school and camp groups, find shady areas and create ad hoc picnic areas. The new facility will include planned picnic areas between the visitor center and the water. 32. The prospectus allows for two food carts yet only one location is identified on the site plan. Where will the second site be? Answer: Both carts are currently in the same location, and they will be collocated at the new facility, also. 33. Do volunteers ever serve as attendants or cashiers for the retail shop? Answer: The NPS does not supply volunteers to serve in the retail shop. 34. Is there any opportunity to develop a larger space for food production capabilities if there was no cost to NPS? Answer: Category II concession contract language prohibits the construction of any capital improvements. Proposals are due no later than 4:00 pm Eastern Time on September 1, 2009. Any proposal, including that of the existing concessioner, must be received by the National Park Service, Northeast Region, Business Services, Attention: Kathleen Karhnak, 200 Chestnut Street, 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106 by the deadline date and time in order to be evaluated and considered for award of the contract.
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOI/NPS/APC-IS/FOMC001-10/listing.html)
 

Place of Performance

Address: Baltimore, MD

Zip Code: 212305393
 

Record

SN01921604-W 20090823/090822002331-acc9a5f4a22f3bd19d57a63b76d3b25b (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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