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THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR STANDARD FORM (SF) 330 ARCHITECT-ENGINEER QUALIFICATIONS PACKAGES ONLY. ALL INFORMATION NEEDED TO SUBMIT SF 330 DOCUMENTS IS CONTAINED HEREIN. NO SOLICITATION PACKAGE, TECHNICAL INFORMATION, OR BIDDER/PLAN HOLDER LIST WILL BE ISSUED. THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOT PAY, NOR REIMBURSE, ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH RESPONDING TO THIS REQUEST. THE GOVERNMENT IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO AWARD A CONTRACT AS A RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.
1. GENERAL INFORMATION
Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Program Contracting Activity Central (PCAC) is seeking sources and intends to award a firm fixed price design contract for Architect-Engineering (A-E) services for the development of complete construction documents, which include working drawings, specifications, and reports, solicitation support services, construction period services, and commissioning for Project #Â 531 326 Construct Primary Care and Dental Building at the Boise VA Medical Center in Boise, Idaho.
The A E services contract that is anticipated to be awarded will be procured in accordance with the Selection of Architects and Engineers statute [formerly known as the Brooks Architect Engineer Act], Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 36.6 Architectural and Engineering Services, VA Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) 836.6, and VA Acquisition Manual (VAAM) M836.6 Architect-Engineer Services. In accordance with FAR 36.209, Construction Contracts with Architect-Engineer Firms, no contract for the construction of a project shall be awarded to the firm that designed the project or its subsidiaries or affiliates, except with the approval of the head of the agency or authorized representative.
2. PROJECT INFORMATION
This project is a 100% set-aside for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) concerns. The NAICS code for this procurement is 541310 Architectural Services and the annual small business size standard is $12.5M. Please note, the VA has thoroughly reviewed this NAICS code and had determined that it is the correct NAICS for the work being performed. A full design team is required to complete this project. The VA expects to award the anticipated A-E contract in early March 2024.
The anticipated period of performance for completion of design is 266 calendar days after notice of award (NOA). The VAAR magnitude of construction is between $10,000,000 and $20,000,000. Please note that the 266-calendar-day period of performance for the design completion begins with the issuance of the NOA and that a notice to proceed (NTP) will not be issued for the completion of a design project.
3. A-E SELECTION PROCESS
Firms submitting SF 330s in response to this announcement, not later than the closing date and time specified herein and in accordance with submission requirements, will be considered for evaluation. The selection will be made as follows:
SF 330s will be evaluated in accordance with the primary selection criteria as stated in this pre-solicitation notice. These evaluations will determine the most highly qualified firms for this particular requirement. In accordance with FAR 36.602-3(c), at least three of the most highly qualified firms will then be notified of the Government s intent to hold discussions. All firms not invited to participate in discussions will be notified at this time. In accordance with FAR 36.607(b), any requested debriefings of successful and unsuccessful firms will be held after final selection has taken place and will be conducted, to the extent practicable, in accordance with 15.503, 15.506(b) through (f), and 15.507(c). Note that 15.506(d)(2) through (d)(5) do not apply to architect-engineer contracts.
Discussions will be held with the most highly qualified firms in the form of written responses. The firms invited to participate in discussions will be notified by email and provided further instructions, including any questions or topics to address. Following the completion of discussions, the firms will be evaluated and ranked based on the primary and (if necessary) secondary selection criteria. The final evaluation and ranking will consider the SF 330 submission for each firm, as well as additional information obtained via discussions. The highest rated firm will be selected to receive the solicitation and engage in negotiations.
The solicitation will be issued to the highest rated firm as a Request for Fee Proposal (RFP). All SOW attachments and site-specific documentation will be provided to the highest rated firm with the RFP. A site visit will be authorized during the negotiation process. An award will then be made as long as the negotiation of rates and hours leads to a fair and reasonable determination of the final contract price. If negotiations with the highest rated firm are unsuccessful, the firm will be notified that negotiations have been terminated. Negotiations will then be initiated with the next highest rated firm, and so on until award can be made.
4. SELECTION CRITERIA
Firms responding to this notice will be evaluated and ranked using the primary and secondary selection criteria listed below. The factors are listed in descending order of importance. The evaluation will consider how each factor is addressed and how it is formatted to coincide with the selection criteria.
Primary Selection Criteria:
Professional qualifications necessary for satisfactory performance of required services. The architects and engineers on the firm s staff representing the project or signing/stamping drawings in each discipline must possess a minimum of five years of experience and are required to be licensed, registered, or certified by a US state, the District of Columbia, or a US territory. Provide professional license jurisdiction of issue and license numbers and/or proof of licensure.
At a minimum, the offeror must describe the professional qualifications and specific experience in the required disciplines. Disciplines required for this project include, but are not limited to: Project Manager, Architect, Electrical Engineer, Cost Estimator, Civil Engineer, Fire Protection Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Quality Assurance Specialist, Structural Engineer, Interior Designer, Commissioning Agent, and Physical Security Specialist. The evaluation will consider education, certifications, training, registration, overall and relevant experience, and longevity with the firm.
Offeror must include the following statement of SDVOSB compliance when submitting the personnel proposed to perform the work under this requirement:
I, [signatory authority], of [company name], certify that the SDVOSB prime contractor will not pay more than 50% of the amount paid by the government to the prime for contract performance to firms that are not certified SDVOSBs listed in the SBA certification database in compliance with VAAR 852.219-73.
The information provided in sections C through E of SF 330 will be used to evaluate this factor. Do not include this information in section H, unless it is pertinent to support the information listed in the other sections.
Specialized experience and technical competence of the prime firm and any subcontractors in the design and construction period services provided for projects of similar size and complexity. Provide no more than five projects awarded within the past eight years, with at least 95% of the design completed, that best illustrate specialized experience related to this project scope, such as dental clinics and other related projects. At a minimum, include the following for each submitted project (if applicable): design start and end dates, construction start and end dates, estimated cost of construction based on design, final construction cost (or projected final construction cost if still underway), and specialized scope items that may include critical path scheduling, fire protection, construction infection control protocols, energy conservation, sustainable design practices, phasing, and specialized building types requiring physical security measures.
The evaluation of the submitted projects will consider the relevant work performed; management approach; coordination of disciplines and subcontractors; prior experience of the prime firm and any key subcontractors working together on relevant projects; quality control procedures; and familiarity with VA Design Guides/Manuals, Master Specifications, and other applicable standards.
The information provided in sections F and G of SF 330 will be used to evaluate this factor. Do not include this information in section H, unless it is pertinent to support the information listed in the other sections. Any projects submitted by an offeror that exceed the limit will not be considered during the evaluation.
Capacity to accomplish work in the required time. The evaluation will consider the team s plan and overall ability to meet the schedule of the project, as well as the available capacity of personnel in key disciplines. Provide the team s available capacity by clearly presenting workload percentages for each of the key personnel identified and by listing all active projects for the prime firm and subcontractors, including the full potential value of any current indefinite delivery contracts. At a minimum, include the following for each project: project name, location, award date, completion percentage, and expected completion date.
The information for this factor must be provided in section H of SF 330. Please ensure the capacity applies toward the proposed team/personnel provided in SF 330.
Past performance on contracts with Government agencies and private industry in terms of cost control, quality of work, and compliance with performance schedules. CPARS data or PPQs (use attached PPQ if no CPARS data is available) must be provided for all projects submitted under section F of the SF 330. The following information must be specified on each performance report: contract/task order number, project title, prime firm, start date, and completion date. CPARS data and PPQs do not count toward the page limitation. Government past performance information systems may be accessed. Evaluating past performance and experience may include information provided by the firm, customer inquiries, Government databases, publicly available sources, and additional projects in CPARS.
Evaluations will consider superior performance ratings on recently completed VA projects as well as the reputation and standing of the firm and its principal officials with respect to professional performance, general management, and cooperativeness. As appropriate, the record of significant claims against the firm because of improper or incomplete architectural and engineering services will be considered. Failure to provide requested data, accessible points of contact, or valid phone numbers may result in a firm being considered less qualified.
Note: We recommend you contact every reference listed and let them know we may contact them for information. Their timely replies would be appreciated.
The information for this factor must be provided in section H of SF 330.
Knowledge of the locality. Demonstrate and describe experience in the local area and the specific knowledge of certain local conditions or project site features the experience provided. This description may include (if applicable):
Any prime firm or subcontractor experience within the VISN or at the VAMC
State or local construction codes, laws, or regulations
If prior experience in or specific knowledge of the local area is minimal, describe how the team plans to obtain any specific knowledge of certain local conditions or project site features required for this project.
The information for this factor must be provided in section H of SF 330.
Construction period services. Describe your team s approach to providing construction period services that may include: professional field inspections during the construction period; review of construction submittals; support in answering requests for information (RFIs) during the construction period; support of construction contract changes, including drafting statements of work and cost estimates; attendance at weekly conference calls; providing minutes of meetings between the A-E, VA, and contractors; commissioning; pre-final inspection site visits; generation of punch-list reports; and production of as-built documentation. List project examples to demonstrate the prime firm s experience with construction period services.
The information for this factor must be provided in section H of SF 330.
Secondary Selection Criterion*:
Geographic location. Location of the firm, as measured by the driving distance (miles) between the offeror s principal business location and the Boise VAMC. Determination of the mileage will be based on Google Maps (https://www.google.com/maps/dir/).
*The secondary selection criterion is used as a tiebreaker, if necessary, in ranking the most highly qualified firms following the completion of discussions. The secondary selection criterion will not be applied when determining a firm s SF 330 submission highly qualified or not highly qualified.
5. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
The below information contains the instructions and format that must be followed for the submission of the SF 330 Statement of Qualifications:
Submit ONE (1) SF 330 Statement of Qualifications to Contract Specialist Kara Evert at kara.evert@va.gov. This must include Parts I and II and any applicable attachments.
The submission must include the SF 330, Architect-Engineer Qualifications (form is available online at http://www.cfm.va.gov/contract/ae.asp).
The SF 330 submission is due by 1:00 PM ET on November 6, 2023.
The SF 330 must be submitted in one email and have a file size no larger than 5 MB. No hard copies will be accepted.
The subject line of the email must read: SF 330 Submission - 36C77623R0157 Boise Minor Design Project.
The SF 330 submission must not exceed a total of 50 pages. This includes title page, table of contents, and any other relevant information. Any pages submitted by an offeror that exceed the limit will not be considered during the evaluation. Each page must be in Arial size 12 font, single spaced. Part II of the SF 330 and any CPARs or PPQs will NOT count toward the page limitation.
A PPQ obtained for another SF 330 submission may be submitted for this project. However, if significant portions of the project have been completed since the PPQ was filled out, a new PPQ should be submitted to accurately assess the project. *Note: All PPQs should be completed by the evaluator and returned to the A-E firm. The submitting A-E firm must incorporate completed PPQs into the SF 330 document. PPQs should not be submitted by the evaluator directly to VHA PCAC.
Firms must include the following information in section B of the SF 330 submission:
1) SAM Unique Entity Identifier
2) Tax ID number
3) Cage code
4) Primary point of contact s email address and phone number
All questions must be submitted to kara.evert@va.gov with the subject line SF 330 Questions - Boise Minor Design. The cutoff for question submission is 1:00 PM ET on October 23, 2023. Questions will be answered through modification to the pre-sol notice posted to Contract Opportunities at SAM.gov.
This procurement is a 100% set-aside for SDVOSB concerns. Offers received from other than SDVOSBs will not be considered. Offerors must be certified as SDVOSBs by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and visible in the Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) database (https://veterans.certify.sba.gov/) at the time of SF 330 submission, written response submission, and award. Failure to be certified in the VetCert database at these times will result in the offeror being deemed ineligible for award.
All joint ventures must be SBA certified at the time of SF 330 submission, written response submission, and award and must submit agreements that comply with 13 CFR 128.402 prior to contract award.
All prime firms must meet the NAICS code requirement specified in this notice. The Contracting Officer will verify the NAICS code in VetCert. Failure to meet the NAICS code requirement may result in the rejection of the SF 330 submission.
SF 330 submissions received after the date and time specified will not be considered. Late proposal rules per FAR 15.208 will be followed for late submittals. Firms not providing the required information may not be evaluated. All information must be included in the SF 330 submission package.
It is the offeror s responsibility to check the Contract Opportunities website at SAM.gov for any revisions to this announcement prior to submitting their SF 330.

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