Inactive Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Set-Aside (FAR 19.14)

PN 557-23-104: Replace Boiler Plant Steam Boilers Carl Vinson VAMC in Dublin, GA General Information Set Aside: Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business Product Service Code: C1DA - ARCHITECT/E... PN 557-23-104: Replace Boiler Plant Steam Boilers Carl Vinson VAMC in Dublin, GA General Information Set Aside: Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business Product Service Code: C1DA - ARCHITECT/ENGINEER SERVICES -CONSTRUCTION HOSPITALS & INFIRMARIES NAICS Code: 541330 - Engineering Services Award Item : AE Design 1. INTRODUCTION: This is a Pre-Solicitation Notice for Project Number 557-23-104 that requires Architect and/or Engineering (A-E) Design Services to replace boiler plant steam boilers at the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center in Dublin, GA 31021 THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. NO SOLICITATION PACKAGE WILL BE ISSUED UNTIL AFTER AN EVALUATION HAS BEEN MADE ON THE SUBMITTED SF-330s. The contemplated A-E Services that are anticipated to be awarded will be procured in accordance with the Selection of Architects and Engineers Act (Public Law 92- 582), Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 36.6, and VA Acquisition Regulation 836.6. This procurement is subject to the availability of funds. The Government is under no obligation to award a contract as a result of this announcement. 2. SUMMARY OF SERVICE: A/E to provide services for preparation of design documents and construction period services to Replace Boiler Plant Steam Boilers , Project # 557-23-104. The design must, at a minimum, be in accordance with all applicable codes (NFPA, JCAHO, UBC, and EPA) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) publications (Master Construction Specifications, Construction Standards, etc.). If any asbestos or lead paint abatement should become necessary, the design shall be done by a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH). The design and as-built documents shall bear the CIH name. All asbestos and lead paint abatement design shall incorporate the latest requirements of VA, federal, state, and local authority having jurisdiction. The project shall be designed to attempt to achieve an energy consumption level that is at least 30% below the level achieved under ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2004 ( if life-cycle cost effective). Use Appendix G of ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2004 to document the energy savings achieved by the design. Should a 30% reduction in energy consumption savings prove to be unattainable per life-cycle cost analysis, A/E shall evaluate alternative designs at 5% successive decrements in order to identify the most energy-efficient design that is life-cycle cost effective. A Savings-to-Investment Ratio worksheet shall be provided with each design submittal to show energy savings. The following parameters shall be used for performing the analysis: 20 year life-cycle period for system comparison Use Public domain programs such as TRACE, E-CUBE, Carrier E20-II, EnergyPlus, etc. 3% Discount Factor All drawings and specifications shall be submitted by A/E to VA on computer disc at the completion of the project. Drawings shall be in AUTOCAD 2020 format, with an accompanying MS Word (ver. 2016) document that lists the drawing number and a description of the drawing s content in sufficient detail to identify it. Each individual Specification shall be submitted as a single MS Word version 2016 formatted document. In addition to the individual Specification submittals, an overall document that compiles all Specifications into one, single-spaced document is also required. One additional disk containing electronic copies of all drawings in portable document format (.pdf) shall be submitted for the Contracting Officer s use. Project shall be designed to meet the prescribed VA Construction Budget, with sufficient Deductions to achieve a 20% reduction from that Budget. Should bids received come in over budget even after taking the Bid Deducts into account, it will be the A/E s responsibility to redesign the project to achieve the VA Construction Budget. A/E will be required to provide access and maintain a Project Management/Construction (Commercially available) management software for both the VA during design, as well as the VA s selected construction firm during construction period services to be used for transmittal of all submittal, RFI, RFQ, drawings, etc. related to electronic transmission of files pertaining to the project. 3. FINAL CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS: Drawings for Bid, including cost estimates, specifications, and calculations, shall be completed within 180 calendar days after date of Award. 4. All offerors are advised that in accordance with VAAR 836.606-73, the total cost of the contract for A-E services must not exceed 6 percent of the estimated cost of the construction project plus any fees for related services and activities. Additionally, FAR Clause 52.236-22 (c) - Design Within Funding Limitation, will be applicable to this procurement action. Design limitation costs will be provided to the most highly rated A-E firm selected to complete the design. 5. Interested firms should email their submissions to Contracting Officer: David.Parente@VA.GOV The SF-330s are due on December 31, 2023 at 5:00 PM (Eastern). Use the instructions located in section eleven (11) below for submitting your SF-330. ONLY EMAIL RESPONSES WILL BE ACCEPTED: Personal visits for the purpose of discussing this announcement will not be entertained or scheduled. Selection shall be in order of preference from the firms considered Most Highly Qualified. Questions may be directed only by e-mail to David.Parente@VA.GOV. 6. In accordance with FAR 36.209 Construction Contracts with A-E Firms and 36.606 (c), all interested contractors are hereby put on notice that no construction contract may be awarded to the firm that ultimately designs this requirement. 7. Security Issues, Late Bids, Unreadable Offers (a) Late submission of offers are outlined at FAR Parts 52.212-1(f) and 52.215-1(c). Particular attention is warranted to the portion of the provision that relates to the timing of submission. (b) Please see FAR 15.207(c) for a description of the steps the Government shall take with regard to unreadable offers. (c) To avoid rejection of an offer, vendors must make every effort to ensure their electronic submission is virus-free. Submissions or portions thereof submitted and which the automatic system detects the presence of a virus, or which are otherwise unreadable will be treated as unreadable pursuant to FAR Part and FAR 15.207(c). (d) Password protecting your SF-330 is not permitted. The Contracting Officer will file the offer electronically which will allow access only by designated Government individuals. 8. The selection of the most qualified contractor will follow the guidance provided in FAR 36.6 Architect-Engineer Services. Additionally, this Pre -Solicitation notice is also issued in accordance with Public Law 109-461, the Veterans Benefits, Healthcare Information and Technology Act of 2006, Sections 502 and 503, as a set-aside for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) contractors. Pursuant to 38 USC 8127(d), competition is restricted to SDVOSB construction firms, as there is a reasonable expectation that two or more offers from SDVOSB contractors will be received under this solicitation. This requirement is a 100% set-aside for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 8127(d). To be eligible for award the SDVOSB you must be considered small under the relevant NAICS code. SDVOSB contractors must be verified and viewable in Small Business Administration Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) database https://veterans.certify.sba.gov prior to submission of proposal and prior to award of contract with VAAR 804.1103-70. Status as a qualified SDVOSB concern is under the authority of 38 CFR Part 74 in accordance with the VA Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) Part 819. Any person, persons, or business entity suspected of misrepresenting itself for the purpose of securing a government contract may be criminally investigated and prosecuted for fraud against the United States of America. Parties found misrepresenting their status also risk debarment from further Government contracts. Eligible SDVOSB concerns must also be registered at the following websites: System for Award Management (SAM): https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/ VETS100/100A Report must be complete: http://www.dol.gov/vets/vets4212.htm Important Notice: Prior to submitting a proposal under this SDVOSB set- aside solicitation; offerors must apply for and receive verification from the Small Business Administration in accordance with 38 CFR Part 74 and VAAR 819.70 by submission of documentation of Veteran status, ownership, and control sufficient to establish appropriate status. All offerors are urged to contact the SBA and submit the required documents to obtain verification of their SDVOSB status if they have not already done so. For a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) to be considered as a prospective contractor, the firm, including Joint Ventures, must be verified and registered in the Small Business Administration Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) database (https://veterans.certify.sba.gov) and registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database (www.sam.gov) at time of submission of their qualifications. Failure of a prospective SDVOSB to be verified by the Center for Veterans Enterprise (CVE) at the time the SF 330 is submitted shall result in elimination from consideration. All Joint Ventures must be CVE verified at time of submission and submit agreements that comply with 13CFR 125.15 prior to contract award. In order to assure compliance with FAR Clauses, 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting (DEVIATION 2019-01) and VAAR 852.219-73, VA Notice of Total Set-Aside for Veteran Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (Nov 2022), all firms submitting a SF 330 for this pre-solicitation notice are required to indicate what percentage of the cost of contract performance will be expended on the concerns employees and in which discipline(s) and percentage of cost of contract performance to be expended (and in what disciplines) by any other consultant/subcontractor or otherwise used small or large business entity(s). Any consultant/subcontractor or otherwise business entity(s) used must be identified by name, office location and size/type of business (i.e. SDVOSB, VOSB, 8(a), small, large, etc.). Failure to provide this information will deem the firm s SF 330 submittal as nonresponsive and preclude further evaluation. 9. 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. Firms will be selected based on demonstrated competence and qualifications for the required work. The estimated magnitude for construction (not design) of this project is between $10,000,000 and $20,000,000. (a) Contract Award Procedure: At time of award, the contractor must be certified by VetBiz and registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database. Register via the SAM internet site at www.sam.gov Failure of an SDVOSB to be VERIFIED by CVE and VISIBLE in VetBiz shall result in elimination from consideration as a potential contract awardee. Failure of a SDVOSB to be registered in SAM at the time of contract award shall result in elimination from consideration as a proposed contract awardee. The proposed services will be obtained by a Negotiated Firm-Fixed Price Contract. (b) The review/design of architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, civil, or other engineering features of the work shall be accomplished by architects or engineers registered in a State or possession of the United States, or in Puerto Rico or in the District of Columbia. (c) The project drawings/design shall be in compliance with applicable standards and codes described in VA Program Guides and design materials. Master Construction Specifications Index, VA Construction Standards Index, VA Standards Index, and Criteria are available in the Technical Information Library (TIL) on VA Website address: http://www.cfm.va.gov/til/. 10. The awarded A-E firm will prepare drawings and specifications in sufficient detail such that qualified outside General Contracting companies can prepare accurate and timely proposals for the desired work. The awarded A-E firm is responsible for ensuring that the specifications and drawings supplied fully represent all of the work described in the Request for Proposal (RFP). The Medical Center must remain operational throughout the construction period and a detailed sequence of work will be provided by the A-E to minimize impact of the construction. The NAICS code for this project is 541330 with a small business size of $25.5 million. The SF-330 can be downloaded through the GSA Forms Library at: http://www.gsa.gov/portal/forms/type/TOP, type in SF-330 in the Find a Form block and click on search. 11. Evaluation Criteria are provided below and listed in descending order of importance. Specialized experience and technical competence in the type of work required, including, where appropriate, experience in energy conservation, pollution prevention, waste reduction, and the use of recovered materials. Submission requirements: SF 330 information shall be provided per the latest format from the GSA Library located at https://www.gsa.gov/forms-library/architect-engineer-qualifications. Complete using blocks F. and H. of the SF330 form. Complete block F. for each relevant project. Complete block H. summary sheet for the Offeror and each key consultant; each summary sheet shall be not more than one (1) page in length, and no more than ten (10) pages total. Submit no more than five (5) projects similar to work in the solicitation from the date the solicitation closes to five (5) years prior; At minimum, three (3) projects must have construction completed or construction substantially (50%+) complete; Projects/data submitted shall be projects with total construction costs of ten million dollars $10,000,000 and greater; Projects may include Federal, State, or local Government, as well as private industry projects. Offerors are responsible for providing project description and applicable information in sufficient detail to permit evaluation of project relevancy versus these https://www.acquisition.gov/themes/custom/acquisition_gov/assets/img/logos/64/FAR.png minimum requirements. Basis of Evaluation: Specialized experience pertains to the types, size, volume, budget, and complexity of work previously or currently being performed by the Offeror that is comparable to the work covered by this solicitation. Specialized experience may also include unique conditions, considerations, or circumstances encountered that are relevant to this solicitation. Specialized experience does not include overseas offices for projects outside the United States, its territories, or possessions; nor does it include subsidiaries that are not normally subject to management decisions, accounting, and policies, or a holding or parent company or an incorporated subsidiary that operates under a firm name different from the parent company. Technical competence includes construction and design projects similar in project scope, size, construction features, dollar value, and complexity of that listed in the solicitation. Technical competence also includes experience in energy conservation, pollution prevention, waste reduction, and the use of recovered materials. Similar complexity is considered projects of an operational, construction, or design likeness to the work covered in this pre-solicitation notice. Offerors unable to demonstrate proven specialized experience and technical competence may be considered non-responsive or scored negatively. Failure to provide requested data may negatively impact an Offeror's rating. Past Performance on contracts with Government agencies and private industry in terms of cost control, quality work, and compliance with performance schedules. Submission requirements: Complete using block H. of the SF 330 describing the Offeror s past performance. The summary sheet shall be not more than two (2) pages in length. Contract customers should provide a Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ) for each submitted project under Specialized Experience criteria, above. PPQs will not count towards page limitations. Data from other projects not included under Specialized Experience criteria are acceptable (such as cost control or schedule delays) in tables or charts. Past Performance Questionnaire Submittals: Past Performance Questionnaires (Attachment 1 to this Notice): Respondents shall complete Section A. (AE Firm Information) of the Performance Questionnaire (Attachment 1) and provide it to Contract Customers.. The contract customer shall complete sections B through D of the Past Performance Questionnaire and shall submit it directly to NCO 7 electronically by the SF 330 submittal package due date identified in the Notice. Past Performance Questionnaire sections B through D will not be accepted from AE Firm Respondents. Questionnaire sections B through D must come directly from the Respondent s contract customer. The AE Firm Respondents bear the burden of providing relevant and timely references with accurate and current telephone numbers and addresses. The Respondent is responsible for ensuring that the questionnaires issued by them are completed by the contract customer and submitted directly by the contract customer to NCO 7 at the address listed in this Notice, no later than the SF 330 submittal package due date designated in this Notice. Respondents are notified that NCO 7 may use any additional sources of information (such as, but not limited to the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) to determine a Respondent s relevant experience and past performance as part of this evaluation. Basis of Evaluation: Past performance is a measure of the degree to which an Offeror satisfied its customers needs and requirements and compliance with applicable codes, standards, laws, and regulations. The evaluation of past performance will include but is not limited to: The customer s assessment of the Offeror's commitment to customer satisfaction; Timely delivery of quality work; The Offeror's record of conforming to contract requirements and applicable codes, standards, laws and regulations; Successful implementation of a quality control plan and quality control procedures; Addressing design errors/omissions timely; Providing Construction Period Services satisfactorily to customers; Adherence to approved schedules; and, History of timely and professional communication and cooperative behavior. Include information on problems (errors/omissions) found, how the problems were corrected, and the impacts to the successful completion of the project (time delays, cost impacts, design modifications, etc.). Provide information supporting favorable cost control, quality of design submissions, and schedule compliance. Offeror risks receiving a lower rating if fewer than three (3) PPQs are provided or if the PPQs were not completed by project point of contact. Include a discussion on the Offeror s record of significant claims for improper or incomplete design services. Higher ratings may be given for work performed on VA Medical Center campuses. Failure to provide requested data or to provide an accessible point of contact (POC) may negatively impact an Offeror's rating. Failure to demonstrate proven competence to perform projects like the requirements of the solicitation may be considered ineligible for award. Professional qualifications necessary for satisfactory performance of required services. Submission Requirements: Complete using block E. of the SF 330. Submit personal resumes and relevant information for key and responsible personnel. Block E. shall be not more than one (1) page in length per individual, and not more than fifteen (15) total pages. Basis of Evaluation: Evaluation of professional qualifications will include but is not limited to the subjective assessment of the Offeror's individual resumes. The Offeror shall have a professional engineer, currently registered in any state or territory of the United States, knowledgeable in their registered design discipline, to be the lead designer responsible for reviewing and approving design submissions. The Offeror shall have a professional engineer, qualified and knowledgeable of state and local regulations, be the lead designer responsible for reviewing and approving design submissions and facilitating permit documentation (depending on the nature of the design i.e. environmental, stormwater, etc.). Key personnel to provide qualifications to meet this criterion include Principal(s), Project Manager(s), key consultants, individuals responsible for implementation of the Design QA/QC Plan, and other individuals that are responsible or accountable for design submissions. The Offeror shall describe and/or depict which projects and how well key personnel of the design team have worked together. Higher ratings for this criterion may be given when the Offeror's specific personnel demonstrate relevant credentials, such as involvement and degree of involvement in professional organizations, research/publications, code/standard body involvement, etc. Offerors unable to demonstrate professional qualifications necessary to perform designs may be considered non-responsive . Failure to provide sufficient data supporting professional qualifications may negatively impact an Offeror's rating. Experience in construction period services to include professional field inspections during the construction period, review of construction submittals, support in answering requests for information during the construction period, and support of construction contract changes to include drafting statements of work, and cost estimates. Submission Requirements: Complete using block H. of the SF 330. Provide a narrative that describes the Offeror s performance completing Construction Period Services (CPS) for construction for each submitted project under Specialized Experience criteria, above. Narrative shall be not more than two (2) pages in length. Basis of Evaluation: Includes professional field inspections during the construction period, review of construction submittals, support in answering requests for information during the construction period, and support of construction contract modifications to include drafting statements of work, and cost estimates shall be included as an evaluation criterion when construction period services is included in the statement of work for A-E services. Evaluation of the Offeror s knowledge, skills, and abilities to complete necessary CPS to support successful project completion. Provide a narrative describing the below services, but not limited to: Professional field inspections, both scheduled and emergent; Maintaining a comprehensive submittal log inclusive of material data, shop drawings, certifications, etc.; Review of construction submittals for design conformance, variance, and applicable code/standard compliance; Providing timely and complete responses to requests for information; Providing supporting documentation (statements of work, cost estimates, technical reports, etc.) for construction modifications; Providing record drawing documentation; Process for correcting design errors/omissions identified during construction; and, Other requirements defined under CPS in the Statement of Work. Capacity to accomplish the work in the required time. Submission Requirements: Complete using block H. of the SF 330. Provide a narrative that describes the Offeror s work capacity. Narrative shall be not more than one (1) page in length. Basis of Evaluation: Identify the Offeror s past, present and projected future workload, including VA contracts over the previous 12 months. Describe the Offeror s capacity to incorporate this solicitation s work while meeting prescribed dates for current workload. Each key team member to include % of available capacity to take on new projects. Evaluation of this factor will be an assessment of the Offeror s ability to complete design documents within the period of performance and meet solicitation requirements. Data is acceptable in tables or charts. Higher ratings may be given for this criterion when information provided exceeds the minimum requirements. NCO 7 may use any additional sources of information such as, but not limited to data found Federal Procurement Data Systems. Location in the general geographical area of Dublin, GA, and knowledge of the locality of the Carl Vinson VA facility: Submission Requirements: Complete using block H. of the SF 330. Provide a narrative that describes the Offeror s experience in the Dublin, GA geographical area. Narrative shall be not more than one (1) page in length. Basis of Evaluation: Offerors will be subjectively evaluated based on their knowledge (and the knowledge of subcontractors) of unique conditions or variables, such as familiarity of applicable codes, regulations, construction market & labor conditions, geotechnical, seismic, weather, environmental, or other unique considerations found in Dublin, GA and the Low Country geographical area. If prior experience in Dublin, GA is minimal, describe how the design team plans to obtain specific knowledge of local conditions or project features required for a compliant design. Data from other projects and locations are acceptable to highlight knowledge of the Dublin, GA geographical area or areas of similar nature. Offerors that submit relevant projects outside of the Dublin, GA geographical area may be given a lower rating than projects within the Dublin, GA geographical area. The extent to which potential contractors identify and commit to the use of service-disabled Veteran-owned small businesses, Veteran-owned small businesses, and other types of small businesses as subcontractors: Submission Requirements: Complete using block H. of the SF 330. Provide a narrative that discusses the Offeror s approach. Narrative shall be not more than one (1) page in length. Offeror s shall complete and submit the following statement in block H. : I [signatory authority], of [Offeror Company or Joint Venture] certify that the team proposed to perform under this requirement demonstrates the capability of 50% SDVOSB performance in compliance of 48 CFR 852.219-10 . Basis of Evaluation: Offerors shall be evaluated based on their utilization plans for service-disabled Veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs), Veteran-owned small businesses (VOSBs), or other types of small businesses. Offerors shall be evaluated on the expected amount of work versus key personnel to verify the above signatory statement. If less than 50% of work is estimated to be performed by the prime SDVOSB, the Offeror may be given a lower rating. Offerors shall submit qualifications for proposed consultants per other criteria in this solicitation.