Thx, Joel. Your info is helpful. We discussed with our legal counsel so have a basic idea of the process. Our main problem is trying to figure out how to structure the construction pricing and evaluation scheme since the towers are at various sites throughout Alaska, including remote islands. The D-B Wage Rates, however, are statewide rates. Thx, and best regards. Ron

By joel hoffman on Friday, April 14, 2000 - 05:28 pm:

Ron - It's not hard to mesh service and construction into one ID/IQ contract.

Be sure to describe the entire scope of expected services in the SOW and explain that some are considered "services" while others will be considered "construction".

Include or reference all appropriate clauses in the RFP and all appropriate clauses and wage rates (when applicable) in each task order and identify which type work is being awarded. Construction to's might also require performance and payment bonds.

Are these to be repetitive installations of similar towers or is each generally different tower package? I would assume each is idividually designed plus Davis Bacon wage rates vary by locale. So it might be hard to pre-price direct costs for a tower installation, anywhere except at one locale. Unless the installer has a full-time, salaried crew, won't they use some local labor? If they do tend to use a full-time crew, you may have to determine if they pay certain wages which exceed typical D-B wage rates. If so, you could analyze and compare pricing. I suppose I'd ask for their technical approach to providing specialized labor for such installations and ensure that their pricing at least meets the D-B wage rates.

You can always pre-price professional services with mark-ups in the contract. I suppose you can pre-price direct craft labor, asking the offerors to provide the basis of their rates, including a breakdown of direct cost and markups. You won't need to cut a mod each time, unless a D-B wage decision exceeds the rates used in their proposal.

Hope this helps you. Happy Sails! Joel

By Ron Klaudt on Friday, April 14, 2000 - 04:15 pm:

We're working on an IDIQ t.o. type contract for antenna/tower inspection, maintenance, installation, demolition & removal. The installation of Gov't furnished towers seems to clearly be construction. The rest appears to be service. Any ideas how to mesh it all into one IDIQ contract and how to accomplish price evaluation under this scenario? Anybody out there doing something similar