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

This Pre-solicitation Notice is NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. All information needed to submit SF330 Documents are contained herein. The Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center (Dorn VAMC) located in Charles... This Pre-solicitation Notice is NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. All information needed to submit SF330 Documents are contained herein. The Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center (Dorn VAMC) located in Charleston, SC is seeking a qualified Architectural Engineering firm to provide professional Architectural and Engineering (A/E) and healthcare planning services. Failure to meet ALL areas in the selection criteria results in your submission not being considered. PROJECT NO./TITLE: 534-25-103 / Correct Air Handling Unit Deficiencies Project Location: Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC Estimated/Target Completion Period: 365 calendar days The estimated magnitude of services for this project is between $250,000 and $500,000. NAICS: 541310 Architectural Services. Size Standard is $12.5 million. PROJECT OVERVIEW: The A/E firm shall provide all necessary professional architectural and engineering services as required to prepare complete contract drawings, specifications, technical reports and cost estimates, including services throughout construction to Correct Air Handling Unit Deficiencies. This project involves the replacement of the air handling unit (RTU-14) serving the Emergency Room Department. The project aims to rectify deficiencies in HVAC and mechanical systems while ensuring compliance with temperature control and air change requirements for the areas serviced by RTU-14. Additionally, the project will incorporate temporary HVAC solutions and a phased approach to facilitate uninterrupted operations. The awarded A/E firm will prepare drawings and specifications in sufficient detail 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. The Medical Center must remain operational throughout the construction period and a detailed sequence of work will be provided by the A/E firm to minimize impact of the construction. This is a 100% Service-Disabled, Veteran Owned, Small Business (SDVOSB) set-aside. Interested parties are cautioned that proposals submitted in response to this notice must meet the criteria identified by 38CFR, Part 74 in accordance with the VA Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) Part 819. The SDVOSB concern agrees that in the performance of the contract, the concern will comply with the limitation on subcontracting requirements in 13 CFR §125.6. Proposals will only be considered from SDVOSB concerns that are verified in VetCert at the time of submission of proposal and prior to date of award. 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. For an SDVOSB to be considered as a prospective contractor, the firm must be registered and current in the Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) https://veterans.certify.sba.gov, reporting to VETS 4212 program at http://www.dol.gov/vets/vets4212.htm, and in the System for Award Management (SAM) database https://www.sam.gov at the time of proposal submission and maintain active registration until contract award, completion of performance, and final payment. 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. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 36.6 (Brooks Act) selection procedures apply. The A/E Services listed herein is being procured in accordance with the Brooks Act (Public Law 92-582) as implemented in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 36.6 and VAAR 836.6. Pursuant to FAR, the firm responding to this requirement must be permitted, by law, to practice the professions of architecture or engineering and meet all required qualifications for the state of South Carolina. SELECTION CRITERIA Specialized experience and technical competence in the type of work required. 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. Submit no more than five (5) projects similar to required work in the solicitation from the date the solicitation closes to five (5) years prior; At minimum, three (3) projects must be construction complete or construction substantially (50%+) complete; Projects/data submitted shall be projects with total construction costs of $2,000,000 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 minimum requirements. b) 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 the solicitation. Specific emphasis of experience and technical competence shall be geared towards fire protection, seismic design/retrofit, physical security resilience and design, healthcare design/planning, building automatic system design, and mechanical/electrical system design. 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 a Summary Sheet 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. Provide the Contractor Performance Assessment and Reporting System (CPARS), interim and final reports, for each submitted Federal entity project under Specialized Experience criteria, above. If a CPARS is not available, provide a PPQ. If a relevant project submitted under Specialized Experience criteria does not have a CPARS because it is a non-Federal entity project, provide a Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ). CPAR and PPQ reports will not count towards page limitations. b) 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; 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. 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. Adjectival Rating: 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. Failure to demonstrate proven competence to perform projects with similar requirements to the requirements of the solicitation may be considered ineligible for award. If no CPARs or PPQs are submitted or responses to requests were not provided, the rating shall not be higher than Satisfactory . 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. The Offeror shall have a professional engineer, currently registered in any US 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 South Carolina 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, hazardous material abatement, 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, Licensed Asbestos Inspector, Physical Security Specialist, Life Safety Specialist, and other individuals that are responsible or accountable for design submissions and regulatory compliance. Physical Security Subject Matter Experts shall meet the requirements of Section 10.1.5 of the Physical Security & Resiliency Design Manual. 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 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. Adjectival Scoring: Offerors unable to demonstrate professional qualifications necessary to perform designs may be considered ineligible for award. Implementation of a Design Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) Plan (Other). Submission Requirements: Provide a preliminary Design QA/QC Plan and any associated procedures to be utilized for this solicitation. Provide a summary sheet depicting the successful implementation of the Design QA/QC Plan. The summary sheet shall not be more than one (1) page in length. b) Basis of Evaluation: Provide a Preliminary Design QA/QC Plan and associated procedures to be utilized on this solicitation that demonstrates that the design submissions, drawings, plans, specifications, submittal logs and other relevant information will go through a rigorous review process and coordination effort within the A/E firm and with subcontracted firms. Denote industry standards, best practices, and performance improvements taken to increase efficiency and quality, Identify the roles and responsibilities of the major personnel of the Offeror. It is expected that a Principal of the Offeror, knowledgeable and engaged with the project, reviews and approves submissions prior to their submission. Identify the key personnel that are expected to be accountable for the implementation of the QA/QC plan and responsible for completion of contract requirements. Depict the successful implementation of the QA/QC plan/procedures in the submitted relevant projects. Failure to provide QA/QC plan/procedures for each project may negatively impact an Offeror s rating. Describe the process for finding and mitigating design errors/omissions during design. 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. b) Basis of Evaluation: b) 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. Capacity < 25% shall be rated not greater than Satisfactory. Higher ratings may be given for this criterion when information provided exceeds the minimum requirements. Location in the general geographical area of Charleston, SC, and knowledge of the locality of the Ralph H. Johnson VA facility: Submission Requirements: Complete using block H. of the SF 330. Provide a narrative that describes the Offeror s experience in the Charleston, SC 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 Charleston, SC and the Low Country geographical area. If prior experience in Charleston, SC 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 Charleston, SC geographical area or areas of similar nature. Adjectival Scoring: Offerors that submit relevant projects outside of the Charleston, SC geographical area may be given a lower rating than projects within the Charleston, SC geographical area. Offerors that demonstrate no experience in the geographical area shall be rated not higher than Satisfactory . 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. SELECTION PROCESS: Firms responding to this announcement by submitting a qualifying SF 330, before the closing date and time, will be considered for initial selection evaluation. Following initial evaluation of the SF330s received three or more firms that are considered the most highly qualified to provide the type of services required will be selected for interviews. Selected firms will be notified by email of selection and provided further instructions. Selection and evaluation of firms shall be made based on SF 330 submissions and direct responses to the selection criteria identified herein. Failure to address all selection criteria will result in a decreased rating. Evaluating past performance and experience may include information provided by the firm, customer inquiries, Government databases, and Contracting Officer knowledge of current project performance. Failure to provide requested data, accessible points of contact or valid phone numbers could result in a firm being removed from consideration. Firms that design or prepare specifications in conjunction with this contract are prohibited from participating on any future construction contracts based on those documents. All projects identified on the SF330 must be completed by the office/branch/individual team member performing the work under this contract. Submission Requirements: The SF 330 form may be downloaded from http://www.gsa.gov/portal/forms/type/SF. Completed SF 330 s shall include the primary firms, subcontractor firms and any consultants expected to be used on the project. Do not submit information incorporating by reference. Prospective firms shall address all selection criteria factors within their submitted SF330 packages. The following format shall be used: Cover Page with Solicitation Number, Project Title Table of Contents SF 330 s Copy of Current A/E License Copy of current vetBiz.gov SDVOSB certification UEI Number Cage Code Tax ID number The E mail address and Phone number of the Primary Point of Contact. SF 330 Date of Receipt/Due Date: Interested firms having the capabilities to perform this work must submit one (1) electronic SF330 and attachments if any, no later than (NLT) 3:00 PM (EST) May 7, 2025. Email capacity is limited to five (5) to seven (7) megabytes (Megs). All SF330 submittals and questions must be sent electronically to the attention of LaToya Glover, Contract Specialist at LaToya.Glover2@va.gov. Please provide Pre-Solicitation Number, Project Number, Project Title, and Firm Name in Subject Line of email. When submitting SF330s, if more than one email is sent, please number emails in Subjects as 1 of n . Submittals received after the date and time identified on page one (1) will not be considered. Firms not providing the required information may be negatively evaluated. Facsimile submittals will not be accepted. All information must be included in the SF330. The SF-330 including title page, table of contents, and any other relevant information shall not exceed a total of 50 pages in a common font size 12 font, single spaced. The proposal shall be submitted as a single application-generated (not scanned), searchable PDF document. A page is defined as each face of an 8.5 X 11-inch sheet of paper containing information. The page limitation does not apply to the licenses, contract performance evaluations, (i.e., CPARS) and award documentation. This information should be provided as attachments to the SF 330. It is the offeror s responsibility to check the SAM.GOV Contracting Business Opportunities website at: www.sam.gov for any revisions to this announcement prior to submission of SF330s. Site Visits will not be arranged during this phase. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. ALL INFORMATION NEEDED TO SUBMIT SF330 DOCUMENTS ARE CONTAINED HEREIN. NO ADDITIONAL SOLICITATION PACKAGE OR TECHNICAL INFORMATION WILL BE ISSUED.