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

UPDATE: On 3/7/2025, the Government recieved a question in regards to page limit requirements within this notice. The Government reaffirms it's position of the initial page limit requirements stated i... UPDATE: On 3/7/2025, the Government recieved a question in regards to page limit requirements within this notice. The Government reaffirms it's position of the initial page limit requirements stated in this notice. Further, the period for technical questions and/or concerns has closed as of Monday, February 24, 2025. Therefore, The Government encourages all offerors to provide the response to this notice that is most advantageous based on their understanding of the requirement(s) by the submission due date. 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, layouts, specifications, reports , construction cost estimates, and construction period services for Project # 549-215 Dallas CLC Bed Bath Compliance-Minor Design project located at the Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) Community Living Center (CLC) located at 4500 South Lancaster Rd Dallas TX. The A-E shall provide investigative and feasibility design services, schematic design drawings, design development drawings, construction documents, final bid documents, specifications, calculations, cost estimates, narratives, bidding support services, solicitation support services, and construction period services for all facets of work and disciplines/trades to facilitate a construction project. The Dallas VAMC is soliciting design services to expand patient bathrooms for patient privacy, replace roofing, flooring, ceiling, windows, and replacing fire doors. Currently, patient bedrooms in the Dallas Community Living Center (CLC)-B wing share a bathroom. Thus, the central intent of this design project shall be to provide the necessary completed construction documents in order to construct a restroom for each patient room for privacy. Moreover, this project will provide new millwork, finishes, updated lighting and sinks in the patient bedrooms. Overall, the construction project shall expand the CLC by 3,300 sq ft and renovate 20,000 sq ft. Additionally, this project shall bring HVAC standards up to new pandemic readiness criteria. The design must comply with the Small House (SH) Model Design guide https://www.cfm.va.gov/til/dGuide.asp, and requirements included in the VA TIL. Finally, the finishes used in this project shall be selected by VA and provided by the contractor. The A-E Services design-bid-build 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 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 541330 Engineering Services and the annual small business size standard is $25.5M. A full design team is required to complete this project. The award is projected to be made in early 4th quarter FY 2025. The anticipated period of performance for completion of design is 235 calendar days after notice of award (NOA). The estimated cost of construction for this project is $6,837,600.00. Please note that the 235-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. A notice to proceed (NTP) is only applicable to a construction project, not a design. 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 and secondary (if necessary) selection criteria as stated in this pre-solicitation notice. These evaluations will determine the most highly qualified firms for this 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), any requested debriefings of successful and unsuccessful firms will be held after final selection has taken place and will be conducted, as soon as 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 determined to be most advantageous and economical by the contracting officer. For this project, this will be in the form of written responses. The form of discussions will be the same for all firms. 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 for selection based on the selection criteria outlined in this announcement. 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 if applicable. The firm shall complete VAAR 852.219-75 VA Notice of Limitations on Subcontracting Certificate of Compliance for Services and Construction. This certification is required in VAAR 852.219-75. The attachment with the clause language is included as an Attachment and must be returned with the SF 330 submission as a separate document. Failure to complete and attach the certification will deem the proposal ineligible for evaluation and the firm will be removed from the competition. 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 for the highest rated firm during the negotiation process. An award is intended to be made to the most highly qualified firm as long as the negotiation of rates and hours leads to a fair and reasonable price and the firm is found suitable during the responsibility determination. If negotiations with the highest rated firm are unsuccessful, the firm will be notified that negotiations have been terminated in accordance with FAR 36.606. 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 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. 1. Professional Qualifications (Sections C through E) necessary for satisfactory performance of required service. The A-E shall demonstrate that they are able to sign and stamp each drawing by individuals licensed in the state of their home office and where the work is being performed. Please provide Professional License numbers and/or proof of Licensure. This criterion is primarily concerned with the qualifications of the key personnel and not the number of personnel. The lead designer in each discipline must be registered in accordance with FAR 52.236-25. The board will evaluate resumes for all proposed key personnel. 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-the VA will accept a minimum of seven (7) years) of personnel proposed for assignment to the project, and their record of teaming arrangements when evaluating professional qualifications. In order for a firm or individual to be permitted by law to practice the profession of architecture or engineering, it must be licensed by the state in which it is practicing, and a registered professional in the state in which it is practicing. Key positions and disciplines required for this project include: a) Architect (LEED certification/US Green Build Council certification) b) Registered Communications Distribution Designer (RCDD) c) Cost Estimator d) Civil Engineer e) Electrical Engineer f) Environmental Engineer g) Fire Protection Engineer h) Industrial Hygienist i) Mechanical Engineer j) Plumbing Engineer k) Project Manager l) Quality Assurance Manager m) Structural Engineer n) Physical Security Specialists o) Commissioning Agent p) Designer/CADD tech q) Specification Writer Resumes should: Be limited to two pages. Cite project experience similar in size, scope, and complexity to the project statement of work (SOW). Indicate proposed role in this contract The Government will consider 1-2 additional pages if there are specifics related to the technical qualifications pertinent for successful completion of this requirement. The 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 team proposed to perform under this requirement demonstrates the capability of 50% SDVOSB performance in compliance of 48 CFR 852.219-10. 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. 2.Specialized Experience (Sections F, G, & H) The evaluation will consider the specialized experience on similar projects as well as the technical capabilities of the prime firm and any subcontractors. The TEB will evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed project team (including management structure, coordination of disciplines, offices and/or subcontractors, and prior working relationships). The project team members prior experience with each other, as well as their experience in projects that are similar in size, scope, and complexity. Offeror must provide five (5) projects, completed, or substantially completed within the past five (5) years, that best illustrate specialized experience related to this project scope, such as medical facilities, community living centers, nursing and patient care centers, hospice care facilities, and other related projects. Submissions shall include no more and no less than five (5) recent and relevant Government and/or private experience projects similar in size scope and complexity, and experience with the type of projects/competencies stated 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 by demonstrating their role in the project for e.g. listing themselves as the prime contractor, 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 subcontractors 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. 3.Capacity (Section H) to accomplish the work in the required time. The evaluation will consider a firm s experience with projects of similar size, scope, and complexity and the available capacity of key disciplines when evaluating the capacity of a firm to perform the work within the required time. Specifically, the evaluation will consider the firm s ability to meet the schedule of the overall project. The board will consider the full potential value of current A/E contracts that a firm has been awarded when evaluating capacity. The offeror should 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. Also, the offeror must provide an active project list with completion percentages and expected completion dates. The offeror shall clearly state their available capacity presenting workload percentages for the key disciplines and/or team members. 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. 4.Past performance on contracts with Government agencies and/or private industry. Past performance will be evaluated for all projects provided in Section F. The evaluation will consider the A-E s past performance with Government agencies and private industry in terms of work quality, compliance with schedules, cost control, and stakeholder/customer satisfaction. The past performance will be evaluated for all projects provided in Section F to include a review of Contractor Performance Assessment Rating System (CPARS) and/or Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ) if there is no CPARS data available. The following information is required for each project noted in Section F: 1. Contract/Task Order number. 2. Project title 3. Prime firm name 4. Start date. 5. Completion date 6. CPARS or PPQ attached for the project. Evaluations may also include additional performance related from the firm, customer inquiries, Government databases, publicly available sources, and additional projects in CPARS. Evaluations will consider performance ratings on recently completed projects as well as the reputation and standing of the firm and its principal officials with respect to professional performance, general management, and responsiveness. Failure to provide requested data, accessible points of contact, or valid phone numbers could result in a firm being deemed as non-responsive. All projects provided in the SF 330 must be completed by the office/branch/individual team member performing the work under this contract. The Contractor Performance Assessment Rating System (CPARS) database will be reviewed to evaluate the projects that have a CPARS entry. The contract number for the project must be submitted with each project in Section F so CPARS can be reviewed in the database. The information for this factor shall be provided in Section H of the SF 330. If there is no CPARS data available, PPQs will be accepted. Please utilize the attached PPQ document. Completed PPQs should not be submitted by the evaluator to VHA PCAC directly. Completed PPQs must be incorporated into the SF 330 submission. The CPARS and PPQs will not be counted toward the page limitation for this submission. For any project that does NOT have CPARS data available, a Past Performance Questionnaire (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 Information 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. The Government reserves the right to contact any POC listed on a CPARS report or PPQ. Evaluations that are rated as more than satisfactory may be given greater consideration. The evaluation will assess performance 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, responsibility and responsiveness. 5.Experience in construction period services (Section H) to include: 1.Professional field inspections during the construction period 2. Coordination and validation of commissioning requirements 3. Solicitation support services 4.Providing a submittal register 5.Review of construction submittals 6.Support in answering requests for information (RFIs) during the construction of a project 7.Support of construction contract changes to include validating statements of work and cost estimates 8. Attendance at weekly conference calls 9.Providing minutes of meetings between the A-E, VA, and contractors 10.Pre-final inspection site visits 11.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. 6.Knowledge of the locality (Section H) to include specific knowledge of certain local conditions or project site features, such as geological features, climatic conditions, and working with 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 or 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 be provided in section H. 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 Dallas VAMC CLC at 4500 South Lancaster Rd Dallas, TX. 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 shall be followed for the submission of the SF 330, Statement of Qualifications: Submission Contents- Firms are required to submit three documents: One SF 330, Architect/Engineer Qualifications, Parts I and II, and any attachments, as a PDF on the SF 330 form (form is available on-line at https://www.gsa.gov/reference/forms/architectengineer-qualifications). One separate Company Information document, that will not be evaluated, containing the following information: Cage code. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Tax ID Number. E-mail address(es) and Phone number(s) of the Primary Point(s) of Contact. Address of firm for correspondence. A copy of the firm s VetCert and verification NOTE: If you are a JV, you must be registered in VetCert as the JV. The submission will not be reviewed if only a partner is in VetCert but not the JV itself. Complete VAAR 852.219-75 VA Notice of Limitations on Subcontracting Certificate of Compliance for Services and Construction. This certification is required in VAAR 852.219-75. The attachment with the clause language is included as Attachment A4 and must be returned with the SF 330 submission as a separate document. Failure to complete and attach the certification will deem the proposal ineligible for evaluation. Format of Submissions-The page limitation of the SF 330 PDF submission shall not exceed a total of 25 pages. This includes cover letters, title pages, section divider pages, table of contents, etc. Every page in the PDF will count toward this page limit except resumes, copies of licensure, if included, CPARS, PPQs, and Part II of the SF 330. Do not combine the Company Information document and VAAR 852.219-75 Notice of Limitations on Subcontracting Certificate of Compliance for Services and Construction attachment with the SF 330 PDF. GSA.gov provides a standard fillable SF 330. The link to this form can be found here: https://www.gsa.gov/reference/forms/architectengineer-qualifications The formatting of the SF 330 submission shall follow that of the standard form and cannot be manipulated or changed, meaning each page shall be: In the default font and default font size In black ink (no gray, no colors) Single spaced (no less than 1.0 is permitted) 8.5 x11 paper (except the organizational chart in Section D as long as the organizational chart is the only item on the larger paper) The margins must be the pre-defined margins in the form-fillable SF 330 on GSA.gov's website (7/2021 version). All information must be contained between the thick black lines at the top and bottom, and the sides may not extend horizontally beyond these thick black lines. Do not shrink the margins. Any page that does not comply with these formatting instructions (with information that extends beyond these margins, uses a different font, uses less than single line spacing, or any pages in excess of the 25 pages that are not exempt, etc.) may be determined as being nonresponsive. Submit ONE (1) SF 330, Statement of Qualifications and any attachments, and ONE (1) accompanying Company Information document containing the above SDVOSB information, via email to both the Contract Specialist Doniver.Hamilton@va.gov and to the Contracting Officer Gabriel.Escarciga@va.gov . Please CC Procurement Technician Megan.Johnson9@va.gov. The subject line of the email shall read: SF 330 Submission- 36C77625R0035 in 549-215 Dallas CLC Bed Bath Compliance-Minor Design project. The SF 330 PDF and Company Information document shall be submitted in one email and have a total file size of less than 10 MB. No hard copies will be accepted. Firms not providing the required information may not be evaluated. All information must be included in the SF 330 submission package. Technical Questions -All questions shall be submitted to Doniver.Hamilton@va.gov and Gabriel.Escarciga@va.gov with the subject line SF 330 Question - 549-215 Dallas CLC Bed Bath Compliance-Minor Design project . The cutoff for question submission is Monday, February 24,2025 at 5:00pm EST. Questions will be answered through an amendment to the Pre-Solicitation Notice posted to Contracting Opportunities at SAM.gov. Submission Due Dates- All responses are due via email on or before Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 5:00pm EST. NOTE: SF 330 submissions received after the date and time specified may not be considered. Late proposal rules per FAR 15.208 will be followed for late submittals. All emails must be received by the VA email server by 5:00 PM EST on the suspense date. The time will NOT be based on when firms hit Send . Thus, DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO SEND SUBMISSIONS. Errors in email address spelling or attempts at emailing timely will not recover a late submission. 6. OTHER INFORMATION: All prime firms must meet the NAICS code requirement specified in this notice. The Contracting Officer shall verify the NAICS code in VetCert through the Small Business Administration (SBA) and/or the System for Award Management (SAM). Failure to meet the NAICS code requirement will result in the rejection of the SF 330 submission. Reminder: This procurement is a 100% set-aside for SDVOSB concerns. Offers received from other than SDVOSB concerns will not be considered. All SDVOSBs must be listed as certified by the SBA Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert). Offerors must be certified and visible in the SBA VetCert database (Veteran Small Business Certification (sba.gov)) at TIME OF SUBMISSION OF SF 330 s, WRITTEN RESPONSES AND TIME OF AWARD. Failure to be BOTH visible and certified at the time of SF 330s, Written Responses and time of award will result in the offeror being deemed unacceptable and ineligible for award. All Joint Ventures must be SBA certified at time of submission, written response submission, and award, and submit agreements that comply with 13CFR 125.15 prior to contract award. 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.