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

PRESOLICITATION NOTICE THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR STANDARD FORM (SF) 330'S ARCHITECT-ENGINEER QUALIFICATION PACKAGES ONLY. ALL INFORMATION NEEDED TO SUBMIT SF 330 DOCUME... PRESOLICITATION NOTICE THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR STANDARD FORM (SF) 330'S 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. 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, reports and construction period services for Project # 620A4-22-703 EHRM Training and Admin Support Space Modular Trailer Site Prep project located at the Castle Point Campus of the VA Hudson Valley Health Care System in Castle Point, New York located at 41 Castle Point Road, Wappingers Falls, NY 12590. 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 Part 36.6 Architectural and Engineering Services and VA Acquisition Regulation 836.6. 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 Concerns (SDVOSB). The NAICS Code for this procurement is 541330 Engineering Services and the annual small business size standard is $25.5M. This project requires a full design team to complete this project. The projected award date for the anticipated A-E contract is February 2024. The anticipated period of performance for completion of design is 144 calendar days after Notice of Award (NOA). The VAAR magnitude of construction is between $2,000,000 and $5,000,000. Please note that the 144 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. The solicitation support services, and construction period services will be option items that will be exercised after the award of the construction project. 3. A-E SELECTION PROCESS: Firms submitting SF 330 s 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 (3) 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), debriefings of successful and unsuccessful firms will be held after final selection has taken place and will be conducted (if requested), 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, to include any questions or topics to address. Following the completion of discussions, the firms will be evaluated and ranked based on the primary and secondary selection criteria (if necessary), and the most highly rated firm will be selected and subsequently sent the solicitation. The final evaluation and ranking will consider the SF330 submission for each firm, as well as additional information obtained via discussions. RFP and Negotiations: A site visit will be authorized for the highest rated firm 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 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. 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 (Sections C through E) necessary for satisfactory performance of required service. The A-E shall demonstrate they are able to sign and stamp each drawing by individuals licensed in any state in the United States for the key positions listed below. Provide Professional License numbers and/or proof of Licensure. The evaluation shall consider the specific experience (minimum of five years) and qualifications (i.e., education, training, registration, certifications, overall relevant experience, and longevity with the firm as full-time employees) of personnel proposed for assignment to the project, and their record of working together as a team when evaluating professional qualifications. The lead designer in each discipline must be registered but does not have to be registered in the state where the project is located. Key positions and disciplines required for this project include, but are not limited to: Architect (LEED certified) CADD Technician Registered Communications Distribution Designer (RCDD) Estimator Civil Engineer Electrical Engineer Environmental Engineer Fire Protection Engineer Industrial Hygienist Mechanical Engineer Plumbing Engineer Project Manager Quality Assurance Structural Engineer Physical Security Specialists Commissioning Agent Offer must include the following statement of SDVOSB compliance when submitting the personnel proposed to perform the work under this requirement: I [signatory authority] ___________________, [company] __________________, 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 by the Small Business Association s Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) in compliance of VA Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) 852.219-75. The information provided in sections C through E of SF 330 will be used to evaluate this evaluation factor. Do not include this information in section H, unless it is pertinent to support the information listed in the other sections. Specialized Experience: Specialized experience and technical competence in the design and construction period services shall be provided for network infrastructure installation, renovations, or upgrades. Projects experience should include upgrading large scale (multi-building with multiple generational OIT systems) fiber optics, data cable, structured cabling, electrical distribution design, electrical upgrades, uninterruptable power systems (UPS), electrical bonding, building management systems/building automation systems (BMS/BAS), HVAC, IT room renovations/expansion/relocations, Data Centers/Server Rooms reconfiguration, and physical security upgrades, duct bank and direct boring operations. Other specialized experience includes experience in critical path scheduling, fire protection, construction infection control protocols, energy conservation, transition, and sustainable design practices. Submissions shall include no more and no less than five (5) recent and relevant Government and private experience projects similar in size scope and complexity, and experience with the type of projects/competence above. Relevant is defined as those task requirements identified in the Statement of Work. Recent is defined as services provided within the past 5 (five) years. Each project shall include the following: Project title, location and detailed narrative describing the scope of services provided including the type of work performed by the offeror and its role in the project i.e. prime contract, Teaming Partner or subcontractor Project Owner, owner s point of contact including telephone number and email address. Services & Deliverables provided under the contract/task order Period of Performance, including start and completion dates Total dollar value of the project Contract number associated with the project. Section G will used to evaluate the prior experience of the prime firm and any key sub-contractors working together on the provided relevant projects. The evaluation will also consider narratives addressing the following topics in Section H. Simply re-stating this list in Section H will not be sufficient. The narrative of how the firm addresses each of these will be evaluated. The management approach The coordination of disciplines and subcontractors Quality control procedures, and Familiarity with VA Design Guides/Manuals, Master Specifications and other applicable standards. Capacity: The evaluation will consider the firm s ability to meet the schedule of the overall project, as well as the available capacity of key disciplines to perform the work in the required time. Provide the available capacity of key disciplines by providing current project workload, inclusive of all projects awarded by the VA during the previous 12 months and the full potential value of any current indefinite delivery contracts. Offeror shall clearly state their available capacity presenting workload percentages for the key disciplines and/or team members. Also, the offeror must provide the completion percentages and expected completion date for the VA projects awarded in the previous 12 months. The information for this factor shall be provided in Section H of the SF 330. Please ensure the capacity applies toward the team/personnel provided in the SF 330. Past performance: Past performance on contracts with Government agencies and private industry in terms of cost control, quality of work, and compliance with performance schedules. Past performance will be evaluated for all projects provided in Section F. The Contrac-tor Performance Assessment Rating System (CPARS) database will be reviewed to evaluate the projects that have a CPARS entry. CPARS are not required to be submit-ted with the SF330 submission. The contract number for the project must be submitted with each project in Section F so CPARS can be reviewed in the database. For any project that does NOT have CPARS data available, a Past Performance Ques-tionnaire (PPQ) is required to be submitted with the SF330. The PPQ should be rated and signed by the evaluator. In the event that a firm does not receive a requested complete PPQ from an evaluator prior to the time for submission, the firm shall submit the partially completed PPQ with Section 1 and the Evaluator In-formation in Section 2 completed. Ensure a POC is listed with the project title/contract number. The VA will make reasonable attempts to contact the POC upon submission for PPQ completion. Evaluations may also include additional performance related from the firm, customer inquiries, Government databases, publicly available sources, and additional projects in CPARS. The Government reserves the right to contact any POC listed on a CPARS re-port or PPQ. Evaluations will consider superior performance ratings on recently completed VA pro-jects as well as the reputation and standing of the firm and its principal officials with respect to professional performance, general management, and cooperativeness. If appropriate, the record of significant claims against the firm because of improper or incomplete architectural and engineering services may be evaluated. Failure to provide requested data, accessible points of contact, or valid phone numbers could result in a firm being considered less qualified. All projects provided in the SF 330 must be completed by the office/branch/individual team member performing the work under this contract. The information for this factor shall be provided in Section H of the SF 330. For PPQs, please utilize the attached PPQ document. Completed PPQs should be incorporated into the SF 330 directly. PPQs should not be submitted to the VHA PCAC directly. Any PPQs will not be counted towards the page limitations for this submission. However, any narratives provided for past performance in Section H will be counted toward the page limit. Knowledge of Locality: Knowledge of the locality, to include specific knowledge of certain local conditions or project site features, such as geological features, climatic conditions, working with and local construction methods or local laws and regulations. The information for this factor shall be provided in Section H of the SF 330. Note that the intent of this factor is to showcase a firm s understanding of the site and locality, and NOT where the firm is located, how far away the firm/branch office is from the site, and how they would travel to the site. Information related to the firm s location shall instead be provided in Section H under Secondary Selection Criterion Factor 1, Geographic Location. See below. Experience in construction period services Experience in construction period services to include solicitation support services, professional field inspections during the construction period, coordination with commissioning requirements, review of construction submittals, support in answering requests for information during the construction period, support of construction contract changes to include drafting statements of work and cost estimates, attendance at weekly conference calls, providing minutes of meetings between the AE, VA, and contractors, pre-final inspection site visits, generation of punch-list reports, and production of as-built documentation. The information for this factor shall be provided in Section H of the 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 Castle Point Campus of the VA Hudson Valley Health Care System in Castle Point located at 41 Castle Point Road, Wappingers Falls, NY 12590. 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. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: The below information contains the instructions and format that shall be followed for the submission of the SF 330, Statement of Qualifications: Submit ONE (1) SF 330, Statement of Qualifications, via email to the Contract Specialist Sierra.Tate@va.gov. This shall include Parts I and II of the SF 330 and any applicable attachments. The submission must include the SF 330, Architect/Engineer Qualifications (form is available on-line at http://www.cfm.va.gov/contract/ae.asp). The SF 330 submission is due on or before November 27, 2023, at 3:00 PM ET. 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. The subject line of the email shall read: SF 330 Submission; 36C77623R0184 EHRM Training and Admin Support Space Modular Trailer Site Prep Castle Point, NY The page limitation of the SF 330 shall not exceed a total of 50 pages. This includes title page, table of contents, and any other relevant information. Each page shall be in in Arial size 12 font, single spaced. Part II of the SF 330 and any Contractor Performance Assessment Rating System (CPARS) reports will not count as part of the page limitations. A PPQ from previous projects may be submitted for this project. If significant portions of a project have been completed since the previous PPQ was filled out, a new PPQ should be submitted to accurately assess the project. All SF 330 submissions must include the following information either on the SF 330 or by accompanying document: 1) Cage Code; 2) Unique Entity Identifier (UEI); 3) Tax ID Number; 4) The E-mail address and Phone number of the Primary Point of Contact. All questions shall be submitted to Sierra.Tate@va.gov with the subject line SF330 Questions EHRM Training and Admin Support Space Modular Trailer Site Prep Castle Point, NY. The cutoff for question submission is 3:00 PM ET on November 8, 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 Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) concerns. Offers received from other than SDVOSBs will not be considered. Offerors must be verified 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 SF330 submission, written response submission, and award. Failure to be BOTH visible and verified at these times will result in the offeror being deemed unacceptable and ineligible for award. NOTE: As of January 1, 2023, all SDVOSBs that were previously verified by VA s Center for Verification and Evaluation (CVE) are automatically granted certification by the SBA for the remainder of the firm s eligibility period. The SBA intends to grant a one-time, one-year extension of certification to current SDVOSBs verified by the VA as of the transfer date on January 1, 2023. This additional year will be added to the existing eligibility period of a current participant. New applicants certified by SBA after January 1, 2023, will receive the standard three-year certification period. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (NDAA 2021) grants a one-year grace period for self-certified SDVOSBs until January 1, 2024. During the grace period, self-certified businesses have one year to file an application for SDVOSB certification and may continue to rely on their self-certification to compete for non-VA SDVOSB set-aside contracts. Self-certified SDVOSBs that apply before January 1, 2024, will maintain their eligibility through the expiration of the grace period until SBA issues a final eligibility decision. All joint ventures must be SBA verified at time of submission and 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 shall 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: https://www.sam.gov/ for any revisions to this announcement prior to submission of SF 330s.