Contract Administration EnergySmart RFP FAQ's

Questions regarding the NM Energy$mart RFP.

Question: Page 18 lists the budget categories, the last one is Special Needs.  It states this covers costs associated with replacement furnaces and water heaters; however, on Attachment 4 it does list the amount of money allowed for this potential expense.  How is this calculated and included in the budget?

Answer: Special Needs is state  funding used in conjunction with  DOE WAP  funds to allow for items in a home that cannot be covered with WAP funds. For example, you may be at your per unit average but the home still needs a furnace. You can weatherize the home with WAP funds and charge the heater to  Special  Needs .

Question: Upon review of the Material vs. Labor attachment the being period being reported on is from 7/1/06 to 6/30/07. During that period, LIHEAP was part of DOE/STATE. Therefore do you want us to remove that row and include LIHEAP with DOE/STATE or just remove it completely from the form?

Answer: The dates being requested for LIHEAP material vs. labor is for the months of July thru December of 2007. (Not the full year) Please do not alter the form.

Question: Does an agency applying to be part of the NM Energy$mart Program have to be a non-profit or can it be a for profit agency? I read the RFP and nothing indicates an agency has to be non-profit, just that if one is you must prove that you are.

Answer: If an agency is not a Non-Profit or CAA, they must show a letter of confirmation giving the agency the authority to conduct business in the state of NM - (usually a letter from the PRC indicating a State Tax ID number when the PRC has approved the Articles of Incorporation).

Question: Can you please clarify on the RFP under performance; How the program will serve renters equitably?

Answer: This question is fully answered in DOE's Final Rule10 CFR Part 400 §440.22 Eligible dwelling units. You can read it in detail on WAPTAC.com. Basically, it details how multi-family units should be approached. Some of the guidance around this issue are:

• A sub grantee may weatherize a building containing rental dwelling units using financial assistance for dwelling units eligible for weatherization;
• The sub grantee has obtained the written permission of the owner or his agency;
• Not less than 66 percent (50 percent for duplexes and four-unit buildings and certain eligible types of large multi-family buildings) of the dwelling units in the building etc.

Any agency receiving funding must have a policy in place addressing how thy will serve renters under this rule.

Question: Per the RFP training on February 22, 2008.  The RFP check list where it states that the offerer must not be debarred or suspended from doing business with the Federal government.  We were instructed to go to the web site www.epls.arn.gov to check to see if we had been debarred or suspended.  That web site does not exist.  The correct web site is www.epls.gov there are 3 different  ways to search if a company has been debarred or suspended.  We searched all 3 ways and printed out the results which is 3 blank pieces of paper showing that we searched CNMHC and no results were found.  Is that what you are requiring for the RFP?  Please Advise.

Answer: Yes. The correct website is www.epls.gov . The paper that shows the agencies name and “No Results Were Found” is what is needed in the RFP package.

Question: On Page 8 of the RFP you are asking for a Materials Ratio vs Labor ratio.   In the RFP it states you want Specially the Agencies per unit average.   The form you provided us in the RFP training DOES not have a place for the per unit averages & per unit details. 

Answer: Thank you for pointing out this discrepancy. Since the scoring is based only on the materials vs. labor ratio you do not need to provide the per unit averages and per unit details.

Question: Also the dates in the RFP for the same question you ask for information from January 1, 2007 - December 31, 2007.  On the form you provided for us the dates you are asking for are July 1, 2006 - June 30, 2007.  Can you please clarify which dates you want this information for.

Answer: Please use the form as guidance on what information to provide.

The form requests:

Yearly cumulative information on the PNM contract date 1/1/07 thru 12/31/07;

Yearly cumulative information on the DOE/State Contracted dated 7/1/06 thru 6/30/07;

Specific monthly information for DOE/State and LIHEAP for 7/07 thru 12/07.

There is a question at the bottom of the form requesting a brief summary of how you determine overhead versus material in a home. Please respond to that question.

Question: Will you be providing us with a new form? 

Answer: No, a new form will not be provided.

Question: Also you stated you would check with Dana to see what the per unit average off the Invoice Summary page is. (i.e. cumulative or per invoice?)

Answer:  On the summary report the wap materials is divided by program operations plus health a safety to determine the labor vs. material ratio. The ratio is for the month, not cumulative.

Question: Also, can you please advise as to where on the MFA web site will these answers be posted?

Answer:
EnergySmart Program on MFA Site

Question: It was brought up in the seminar on 2/22 that DOE provided a truck and equipment for the work to the successful offerors. Can this be explained further as what this entails?

Answer: DOE does supply the vehicles and equipment necessary to perform weatherization services. If an agency is awarded funds, MFA will facilitate the process for a new agency to obtain the necessary equipment.

Question: Does DOE/MFA have particular regional suppliers whereby materials are purchased or is that left up for the offerors to negotiate the best deal?

Answer: No, DOE/MFA do not have regional suppliers. Any agency who is awarded funds must go through their own agency approved procurement process to obtain vendors for materials.