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

Page 1 of Page 1 of PRESOLICITATION NOTICE - THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR STANDARD FORM (SF) 330S ARCHITECT-ENGINEER QUALIFICATION PACKAGES ONLY. ALL INFORMATION NEEDED TO... Page 1 of Page 1 of PRESOLICITATION NOTICE - THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR STANDARD FORM (SF) 330S ARCHITECT-ENGINEER QUALIFICATION 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. INTRODUCTION: This is a Pre-Solicitation Notice for project number 548-22-108 that requires Architect and/or Engineering (AE) Design Services for the Renovation and Expansion of Domestic Water Systems project at the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center located at 7305 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach, FL 33410. This project is a 100% Set-Aside for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Concerns (SDVOSB). The NAICS code for this procurement is 541330 Engineering Services and the annual small business size standard is $16.5M. This project requires a full design team to complete this project. All information needed to submit SF330 documents is contained herein. The magnitude for construction (not design) of this project is between $500,000.00 and $1,000,000.00. Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) 36.6 selection procedures apply. The architectural/engineering sources listed herein are being procured utilizing the Selection of Architects and Engineer s statute, also known as the Brooks Act or Qualifications Based Selection (QBS), FAR Part 36.6, VAAR Part 836.6, and VAAM Part 836.6. All submissions will be evaluated in accordance with (IAW) the evaluation criteria identified in the Selection Criteria. Firms deemed to be the most highly qualified, after initial source selection, will be chosen for discussions/interviews. Firms will be selected based on demonstrated competence and qualifications for the required work as submitted. Firms that design or prepare specifications in conjunction with this contract are prohibited from participating on any future construction contracts based on those documents. 2. DESCRIPTION: The Government is seeking an AE firm to provide all professional services required to renovate and expand domestic water systems at the WPB VAMC. The project is intended to address several domestic water issues at the WPB VAMC as part of their aggressive campaign against Legionella and other waterborne issues. See attached statement of work for more detailed information. 3. 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 and be authorized to complete professional design services in the state of Florida. 4. The project drawings/design shall follow 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/. 5. The awarded AE 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 AE 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 AE firm to minimize the impact of the construction. 6. All offerors are advised that in accordance with VAAR 836.606-71, the total cost of the contract for AE 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 AE firm selected to complete the design. 7. 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 Stacy.Figlinski@va.gov. 8. In accordance with FAR 36.209 Construction Contracts with AE 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. 9. Security Issues, Late Bids, Unreadable Offers a. Late submission of offers are outlined at FAR Part 15.208. 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 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. 10. The selection of the most qualified contractor will follow the guidance provided in FAR 36.6 Architect-Engineer Services. Additionally, this solicitation 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. Apparent successful offerors must apply for and receive verification from the Department of Veteran Affairs Center for Veterans Enterprise (CVE) in accordance with 38 CFR Part 74 and VAAR 819.70 by submission of documentation of Veteran status and ownership and control sufficient to establish appropriate status. Failure to be both VERIFIED by CVE and VISIBLE on VetBiz.gov at the time SF-330s are submitted, when the proposal is received as a result of the solicitation issued to the most qualified firm, and on the date of contract award will result in the offeror s proposal/SF 330 being deemed not acceptable. All offerors are urged to contact the CVE and submit required documents to obtain CVE verification of their SDVOSB status if they have not already done so. 11. SF 330s will be evaluated in accordance with the 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 (3) of the most highly qualified firms will then be notified of the Government s intent to hold discussions. Discussions will be held with the most highly qualified firms in the form determined to be most advantageous and economical by the contracting officer. This may include in writing, via phone interview or in-person interview presentations. The firms invited to participate in discussions will be notified by email and provided further instructions, to include any questions or topics to address. Following the completion of discussions, the firms will be evaluated and ranked for selection based on the selection criteria, and the most highly qualified firm will be selected and subsequently sent the solicitation. The final evaluation and ranking will consider the SF 330 submission for each firm, as well as additional information obtained via discussions. A site visit may be authorized for the highest rated firm during the negotiation process at no-cost to the Government. If negotiations are not successful with the highest rated firm, 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 or the requirement is cancelled. 12. SELECTION CRITERIA: The VA will utilize the following selection criteria in descending order of importance: SF 330 Evaluation - Stage I (Pre-selection) (1) Professional qualifications necessary for satisfactory performance of required services a. Specific qualifications needed include (i.e., education, training, registration, certifications, overall relevant experience, and longevity with the firm) of personnel proposed for assignment to the project. i. All engineers and architects must be licensed for work in the state of Florida. ii. The Designer of Record must have at least 10 years of experience with domestic water systems. b. The lead designer in each discipline must be registered but does not have to be registered in the particular state where the project is located. c. Submit record of working together as a team for the personnel proposed for assignment on this project. Also submit the types and number of projects the firms (or design team members) have worked together on over the past five (5) years. (2) 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; a. Specialized experience and technical competence will be evaluated based on the design team members knowledge, both individually and collectively as a team, in i. Domestic Water Systems ii. Energy Conservation iii. Information and Communication Technology iv. Modeling Software v. Construction Inspection Services vi. Siting Studies and Engineering Studies vii. New Construction and Renovations. b. Firms must submit at least five (5) but up to seven similar designs for projects involving domestic water systems or similar design work. Designs must be complete or substantially complete prior to the release date of the pre-solicitation notice. c. Firms (or design team members) will also be evaluated on their processes in relation to design quality management procedures, Computer-Aided Design and Drafting/Building Information Modeling, Building Information Modeling, equipment resources and laboratory requirements for the firm and any proposed subcontractors. d. Firms (or design team members) will also be evaluated on their experience at incorporating sustainability principles into designs and evaluations, descriptions of waste reduction techniques and energy efficiency in facilities designed by the team, as well as familiarity with the use of recovered materials on construction contracts. (3) Capacity to accomplish the work in the required time a. Submit project lists for designs in progress or completed by the personnel proposed for assignment to the project; Indicate how the team accomplishes multiple, large, and small projects simultaneously, at different locations, within required timeframes over the last five (5) years b. The number of and types of employees (prime and subcontractor), including the availability of additional competent, regular employees for support of projects, and the depth and size of the organization c. Firms must submit information on the volume of work awarded by VA during the previous 12 months to the prime and all subcontractors (4) Past performance on contracts with Government agencies and private industry in terms of cost control, quality of work, and compliance with performance schedules a. The Government will evaluate the firm s recent and relevant past performance and any subcontractors to determine the degree to which it demonstrates the likelihood it can successfully perform the requirements of the work as described in the Statement of Work. To be considered recent past performance, the contract shall either be currently active or completed within the past five years of the closing date of this notice. In the case of a joint venture, LLC, or other team arrangement formed for the purpose of competing for this contract, the Government will evaluate recent and relevant past performance of the entities that comprise the newly formed entity. Relevant past performance includes current or recent past contracts similar in size (dollar value), scope (type and nature of work), and complexity (duration, and/or risk) to the work described herein. The Government will use information either furnished by the Offeror and reference(s) and/or information obtained from other independent data sources in evaluating relevant past performance. b. Submit performance ratings on completed projects, especially VA, as well as information about the reputation and standing of the firm and its principal officials with respect to professional performance, general management, and cooperativeness. c. Submit any record of significant claims against the firm because of improper or incomplete architectural and engineering services. d. For firms without a record of relevant past performance or for whom relevant past performance information is not available, the firm will not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably. (5) Location in the general geographical area of the project and knowledge of the locality of the project a. The geographic location of the main or branch office of the prime contractor shall be within 1000 miles of the West Palm Beach VAMC in West Palm Beach, FL. All location measurements will be made by Google Maps (https://www.google.com/maps) from the firm s identified location. b. Knowledge of the state of Florida in regard to designs. Firms must demonstrate knowledge of the locality which may include state licenses or projects completed for designs of projects within the state. (6) 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. a. Firms must affirmatively acknowledge that they will commit to the use of SDVOSBs to the maximum extent practicable. (7) 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 a. Firms must describe a minimum of five (5) projects that included construction period services. Provide reference information including email and phone number of customers and any available completed performance evaluations for these projects. 13. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: All responding firms are required to submit Standard Form 330, Architect Engineer Qualifications, Part I and Part II. The SF 330, Part I must clearly indicate the office location where the work will be performed, and the qualification of the individuals and subcontractors proposed to work on the contract and their geographical location. You must submit your qualifications, and any supplemental information (such as past performance, spreadsheets, backup data, technical information), electronically to Stacy.Figlinski@va.gov no later than the due date and time of the submission. Files must be readable using the current Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). When submitting construction drawings, contractors are required to submit one set in AutoCAD and one set in Adobe PDF. a. SF 330 submissions received after the due date and/or time will be handled IAW FAR 15.208 (b). b. Please see FAR 15.207(c) for a description of the steps the Government shall take regarding unreadable offers. c. To avoid rejection of an offer, vendors must make every effort to ensure their electronic submission is virus-free. d. Password protecting your offer is not permitted. e. Please note that the Government can no longer accept .zip files. f. SF 330s shall be provided on standard letter size 8-1/2 by 11-inch paper, limited to a maximum of thirty-five (35), single-sided, single-spaced, and numbered pages. This includes title page, table of contents, and any other relevant information. If more than thirty-five (35) single-sided pages are submitted, all pages after thirty-five (35) pages will not be evaluated. The font for text shall be Times New Roman 12-point or larger. Part II of the SF 330 and any Contractor Performance Assessment Rating System (CPARS) reports will not count as part of the page limitations. g. The SF 330 shall be submitted in one email and have a file size shall be no larger than 5 MB. No hard copies will be accepted. h. All SF 330 submissions must include the following information either on the SF 330 or by accompanying document: 1) Cage Code; 2) Dun & Bradstreet Number (if assigned, historical purposes); 3) Unique Entity Identifier (UEI); 3) Tax ID Number; 4) The E-mail address and Phone number of the Primary Point of Contact; 5) A copy of the firms Vet Biz Registry i. All Joint Ventures must be CVE verified at time of submission and submit agreements that comply with 13 CFR 125.15 prior to contract award. j. NOTE: Only submissions from SDVOSB concerns will be acceptable for this project. In order for an SDVOSB to be considered as a proposed contractor, the firm must be verified and visible by VET Biz (www.vetbiz.gov) and registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database (www.sam.gov) at time of submission of their qualifications. Failure of a proposed SDVOSB to be verified by the CVE at the time the SF 330 is submitted shall result in elimination from consideration as a proposed contractor. k. All questions shall be submitted via email to Stacy.Figlinski@va.gov by May 30, 2022, at 4:00 PM Eastern Time. 14. VA Primary Point of Contact: Stacy Figlinski, NCO 8 Contracting Officer, Email: Stacy.Figlinski@va.gov