EL PASO COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM, PROJECT BRAVO, INC.

WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

JUNE, 2010

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. General and specific information of program and requirements
  2. Standard Specifications & Conditions & Contractual Agreement
  3. Attachment I - Bidders Experience & Integrity
  4. Attachment II – Technical and Financial Resources/HUB/Minority or Woman Owned
  5. Attachment III – Legal and Other Bidder Requirements
  6. Attachment IV – Project BRAVO WAP Rate Schedule 2010-11
  7. Exhibits

A.CFR.440 Specifications

B. Lead-Safe Requirements

EL PASO COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM, PROJECT BRAVO, INC.

WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

El Paso Community Action Program, Project Bravo, Inc.is issuing a Request For Qualifications from experienced contractors relative to the installation of eligible weatherization energy conservation measures in the El Paso and El PasoCounty area. The program is operated under the rules, regulations, and requirements promulgated by the Department of Energy (10 C.F.R. 440) and by the state-funding agency, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, for the Weatherization Program. Work performed and measures installed must meet all TDHCA standards and be in full compliance with applicable program guidelines.

Based on Project BRAVO’s current funding level, we anticipate over 200 single family homes and/or apartment units will be weatherized between August 18, 2010 and August 31, 2011. The number of units will increase if more funds become available. Weatherization services, which remain the core program pursuant to this solicitation, are designed to reduce energy costs for low-income households through proven, cost-effective Weatherization techniques as presented in the Description of Work (which follows).

DESCRIPTION OF WORK:

Each home will be assessed using the NEAT audit and/or a DOE established Priority List to determine which Weatherization measures will be installed. The blower door must be used to run an initial assessment on each home in order to have accurate information for the NEAT audit. After assessment, the successful bidder will install measures designed to reduce air exchange, to preserve the integrity of the home’s thermal envelope, to reduce energy consumption, and to ensure the residents’ health and safety. Some of the types of measures are listed below:

Install weatherstripping, caulking, and switch/outlet gaskets

Testing of combustion appliances for the presence of carbon monoxide and or nitrogen dioxide

Replacing and/or repairing windows and doors

Repairing and/or replacing ceilings, walls, and floors

Insulating and/or venting attic spaces, insulating floors and walls

Testing indoor relative humidity levels and venting living spaces to mitigate high relative indoor humidity levels

Insulating water heaters and pipes

Installing storm windows and solar screens

PERIOD COVERED:

Project BRAVO reserves the right to reject any or all bids and or to cancel this solicitation at any time prior to contract award. Should a contract be awarded pursuant to this procurement, the initial contract period should be August 18,2010 through August 31, 2011. At Project BRAVO’s option, the contract period may be renewed contingent upon contractor’s performance and continued program funding.

BID PRICE:

El Paso CAP-Project BRAVO has an established rate schedule based on a previous procurement done earlier this year. This rate schedule is included in Attachment V. Respondents are accepting the rate schedule by submitting a response to this RFQ. There will be no negotiation of either the rate schedule or the contract terms. Bid prices must be maintained for the initial contract period described above, unless federal and/or state requirements call for modifications in pricing. Prices shall be the completed price at any work site within the previously described county area, and may not include separate packaging, handling, shipping and/or delivery charges.

All materials must meet Department of Energy (DOE) material specifications and must comply with the minimum standards set forth by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs.

RESPONDENT ELIGIBILITY:

1.Qualification packages, which are incomplete, lack required documentation, or are illegible will be considered non-responsive and will be rejected. Submission must include all referenced attachments and required documents.

2. Five (5) copies of the completedpackage must be included in the Qualification package on unstapled 3-hole punched paper.

3.Responses received after the published deadline shall not be accepted and shall be returned unopened, to Respondent. All Qualification Packages must be submitted to Project BRAVO Community Action Agency, 4838 Montana, El Paso, TX 79903. The bid must in a sealed envelope, clearly marked on the outside “WEATHERIZATION SEALED BID...DO NOT OPEN”.

4. Project BRAVO will be checking references after the bid opening so no contracts will be awarded at the bid opening.

5.Bidders must have experience in construction and/or weatherization. Applicable experience must be documented on Attachment I, Bidder’s Experience and Integrity.

6.Bidders must have the staff, equipment, financial and technical resources needed to effectively perform all required activities specified in the previous Description of Work. Applicable information regarding this criterion shall be recorded on Attachment II, Technical and Financial Resources.

7.Bidders must comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations, must have adequate general liability, vehicle, pollution control insurance and may not be on a local, state or federal Consolidated List of Debarred, Suspended and Ineligible Contractors and Grantees. Required documentation is outlined in Attachment IV, Legal and Other Bidder Requirements.

8. Project Bravo reserves the right to reject any/all bids.

CONTRACTOR SELECTION:

A contract pursuant to this solicitation, if awarded, shall be based on Project BRAVO’s evaluation of past performance and experience, financial and technical resources and compliance with all legal and other bidder requirements. Specific criteria weighted values are described throughout the Attachments.

QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED AT All questions concerning this solicitation shall be submitted in writing only in this manner. No questions will be addressed by staff or anyone involved in Project BRAVO in any other manner.

Any form of contact by a bidder or potential bidder regarding this solicitation, at any time during the solicitation process from initial advertisement through award, with any of the Board of Project BRAVO or any person employed by Project BRAVO, other than through the communication channel stipulated above, or as subsequently instructed by Project BRAVO through the solicitation process,will constituteground for rejection of their Proposal.
STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS & CONDITIONS AND CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT

El Paso COMMUNITY ACTION Program, Project BRAVO, Inc.

The following standard specifications and requirements shall be binding upon the Project BRAVO Weatherization insulation subcontractor (if selected) pursuant to this solicitation. This document shall be incorporated, by reference, into any contract for Weatherization services, which result from this procurement.

1. Project BRAVO’s Weatherization subcontractor shall furnish all materials necessary for delivery of weatherization services in the El Paso county area. All materials shall meet applicable DOE standards and shall comply with the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs materials standards. Project BRAVO shall not be billed for transportation or delivery costs of materials. Materials shall be new, and in good condition. Project BRAVO shall not be charged for items, which are damaged prior to or during installation or for wasted materials such as iron, steel, and manufactured goods. .

All weatherization materials shall be installed in accordance with the standards contained in the TDHCA Materials Installation Standards Manual. Project BRAVO shall pay only for those materials which meet applicable standards (CFR.440) and which are acceptably and properly installed on eligible dwelling units.

As a result of a previous sealed bid procurement for Weatherization Services, Project BRAVO has established a WAP rate schedule (see Attachment V.) Incidental items are not included in Project BRAVO’s rate schedule (e.g. nails, screws, fasteners, miscellaneous hardware, etc.) and shall not be billed to Project BRAVO. Unusual or one of a kind circumstances or development of new (DOE/TDHCA approved) products or materials shall be addressed on a case-by-case or as needed basis and then only by written amendment agreed to by the parties to the contract.

  1. Project BRAVO’s weatherization subcontractor shall furnish all labor pursuant to completion of weatherization activities in the El PasoCounty area.

On-site supervision must be provided and is included in the rate schedule. Field staff must be proficient in installing comprehensive weatherization measures. The subcontractor shall be required to use the blower door to record a final air exchange reading upon completion of the air sealing work. The final air exchange rate must be within the desired air exchange range (and minimum ventilation requirements must be maintained).

Once a job is completed, the subcontractor must remove all debris from the job site and dispose of it in a proper and responsible manner. The contractor shall take every precaution necessary to protect all existing trees, shrubbery, plants, sidewalks, buildings, vehicles, etc. in the area where work is being done, as well as the building covered by the contract, and shall rebuild, repair, restore and make good at his own expense all injury and damage to same which may result from work being carried on under this contract.

  1. The total allowable materials and labor cost per weatherized dwelling unit shall be determined prior

to the subcontractor beginning work on the unit. The total dwelling costs may not exceed established program maximums.

4. The subcontractor is responsible for any job-related illness or injury to workers in his/her employ, and shall indemnify and hold harmless Project BRAVO, Project BRAVO Weatherization staff and Project BRAVO Weatherization clients in the event an on-the-job illness or injury occurs.

5. Project BRAVO shall not be charged separately for the time required to conduct the blower door testing, for the carbon monoxide testing, or for the removal of debris from the job site, for staff training or for fringe benefits.

Project BRAVO Weatherization subcontractor must submit itemized materials and labor cost statements for each Weatherization dwelling unit completed, and the statement shall be presented in a format required by Project BRAVO. All Weatherization work is performed on a reimbursement basis. No draws or advances on Weatherization activities shall be provided under this agreement. Payment for labor and materials shall be made only when the completed dwelling unit has passed the agency’s final dwelling inspection; Project BRAVO has received the materials and labor cost statement, and after Project BRAVO has received funds from TDHCA. Payment will normally be made within 30 days of final agency dwelling unit acceptance.

6. Each unit assigned pursuant to this contract must be completed in a timely and expeditious manner. Project BRAVO shall provide a work schedule which shall ensure that its contractual obligations to TDHCA are met. Failure of subcontractor to perform in accordance with said schedule may be grounds for termination of the Weatherization services agreement.

7. Subcontractor must correct any bona fide materials and/or workmanship deficiency identified during the agency final dwelling unit inspection. Failure to take required corrective action within a reasonable time period (normally 5 working days) may result in termination of this agreement. Dwellings that require more than one inspection due to the subcontractor’s failure to meet the specified work requirements shall result in each additional re-inspection being charged to the subcontractor at the rate of $50.00 per re-inspection.

8. Project BRAVO subcontractor must recognize the special needs and concerns of low-income, elderly and handicapped clients and must ensure that clients are at all times treated respectfully and courteously. Subcontractor and/or staff must conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times.

9. Project BRAVO subcontractor must retain all work and cost records for a minimum period of three (3) years after payment for the dwelling unit has been made and all other pending matters are closed. This requirement is to assure fair settlement of disputes or complaints that may arise, as well as to fulfill federal audit requirements.

10. The Weatherization program is federally funded. Any known or suspected incident of fraud or program abuse involving subcontractor or the subcontractor’s staff will be reported to the appropriate state or federal investigative body or official.

11. The subcontractor must Lead Safe Weatherization (LSW) training and have a certified lead-safe renovator on staff prior to commencement of weatherization work on any dwellings built prior to 1978 Subcontractors must provide Project BRAVO with documentation of Lead-Safer Renovator staff and of application for or evidence of EPA Certification. Subcontractors must follow LSW Work Practices as outlined by the U.S. Department of Energy.

12. The subcontract must meet the requirements of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act

13. The subcontractor must meet the Copeland “anti-kickback” Act requirements and must provide assurance of same.

14. The subcontractor must meet the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act requirements and must provide assurance of same.

15. The subcontractor must meet the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act.

16. The subcontractor must abide by the Clean Air Act.

17. The subcontractor must abide by the Byrd-Anti-Lobbying Amendment.

18. The subcontractor must certify that it does not and will not knowingly employ an undocumented worker, where “undocumented worker” means an individual who, at the time of employment, is not lawfully admitted for permanent residence to the United States or authorized under law to be employed in that manner in the United States.

I HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGE HAVING READ AND CERTIFY THAT I UNDERSTAND AND FULLY ACCEPT ALL THE CONTRACTUAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS WHICH ARE SET FORTH HEREIN AND WHICH SHALL BE INCLUDED IN ANY WEATHERIZATION CONTRACT DOCUMENT EXECUTED PURSUANT TO THIS SOLICITATION.

______

Respondent’s Signature Date

ATTACHMENT I

BIDDER’S EXPERIENCE & INTEGRITY (50 POINTS)

A. YEARS OF EXPERIENCE – (2 pts for each year of service up to a maximum of 8 pts)

State the number of years you (or your firm) have performed construction and/or weatherization work.

______of years. Describe experience and/or attach information that can be used to verify your experience ______

______

B. RECORD OF PAST PERFORMANCE

List below the names, addresses and phone numbers of 3 previous clients as references (individuals or agencies) for whom you (or your firm) have performed construction and/or weatherization activities in the past 12 months. (for a maximum total of 42 points; 14 points each reference). No points will be awarded for references, which cannot be verified, or who indicate that the work performed or staff conduct was unsatisfactory. Additional references may be listed to insure that 3 reference contacts may be made. Listed below are the questions that will be asked of each reference and the point value attached to their response:

Question #1:
Please verify that one of the following weatherization tasks below were performed?
Insulation, replace doors/windows, air infiltration measures, misc. repairs / Points assigned
Yes = 2 pt.
No = 0 pt.
Question #2:
Please rate the quality of work completed. Was the quality
Very Good, Good, Fair or Poor? / 6 pts. for very good
4 pts. for good
2 pt. for fair
0 pt. for poor
Question #3:
Was the contractor timely in completing projects and were schedules and deadlines meet? Yes or no / 2 pt for yes
0 pt for no
Question #4:
Would you contract this individual if you had to do it again? Yes or no / 2 pt for yes
0 pt for no
Question #5:
Was the contractor (and/or contractor’s staff) courteous, friendly and respectful?
Yes or no / 2 pt for yes
0 pt for no
Reference Name / Address / Phone
1.
2.
3

ADDITIONAL OPTIONAL REFERENCES (Will only be called if we cannot contact the three references listed above).

Reference Name / Address / Phone
1.
2.

ATTACHMENT II

TECHNICAL & FINANCIAL RESOURCES (40 POINTS)

TECHNICAL RESOURCES: (20 points)

  1. List your name and the name of one other individual who will be personally either supervising or installing weatherization measures on the homes.

NAME #1:______Yes No

Do you have experience in floor, wall and ceiling insulation? (2 pts)

Low income families? Where and how many years? (2 pts)

______

Have you received any training on energy efficiency measures?

What and When: ______(2pts)

Are you a certified lead renovator? (2pts) ______

NAME #2:______

Do you have experience in floor, wall and ceiling insulation? (2pts)

Have you previously provided weatherization services for

Low income families? Where and how many years? (2 pts)

______

Have you received any training on energy efficiency measures?

What and When: ______(2pts)

Are you a certified lead renovator?(2 pts) ______

  1. Do you own or have access to an insulation blowing machine? (1pt)

Model and Serial Number of equipment______