Inactive Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)

UPDATE (6/26/2024) A list of the shortlisted firms has been attached to the Documents. Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Solicitation 47PB0023R0059 Standard Form (SF) 330, Architect-Engineer (AE) Quali... UPDATE (6/26/2024) A list of the shortlisted firms has been attached to the Documents. Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Solicitation 47PB0023R0059 Standard Form (SF) 330, Architect-Engineer (AE) Qualifications, Parts I and II Region 1 (New England) of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), Public Buildings Service (PBS), has a requirement for Professional AE services on an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) basis. The Multiple Award IDIQ contracts will include all GSA owned and leased facilities in the six New England states. All AE services will be provided when so authorized by execution of firm-fixed-price Task Orders. Individual Task Order values will be based on an Estimated Construction Cost at Award (ECCA) of less than or equal to the prospectus threshold (currently $3.6 million). Note - This value can be exceeded if agreed to by the contractor. This requirement is solicited as a total Small Business Set-Aside. The NAICS code is 541330 (Engineering Services) and the small business size standard is $25.5 million. It is anticipated that up to eight (8) separate contracts will be awarded. The firm-fixed-price IDIQ contracts will each consist of one (1) base and four (4) option years. Small business set-asides. When forming a formal Joint Venture or Partnership in response to a small business set-aside, all team members must meet the socioeconomic status for the set-aside. For all CTAs submitted in accordance with FAR Subpart 9.6, the Limitations on Subcontracting (FAR 52.219-14) apply, (i.e., the small business team members must perform at least 50% of the value of the work to be completed). The Maximum Ordering Limitation (MOL) inclusive of all contracts combined and all potential contract years, is $40 million dollars. There will be no individual or yearly contract MOLs. The contracts will be solicited and awarded pursuant to the Brooks Act, Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 36.6 and General Services Acquisition Manual (GSAM) Subpart 536.6. Scope Work under typical Task Orders issued under each IDIQ contract will include, but will not be limited to: The study of Architectural and/or Engineering problems/existing conditions (known as Extra Field Investigation – EFI); recommendation of solutions and anticipated costs for the solutions; Engineering Studies, Retro-Commissioning, Pre-Design Phase Services, Preparation of Schematic Designs (SDs), Design Development Drawings (DDs), Design Intent Drawings (DIDs), Construction Documents (CDs) and Specifications for various projects; drafting Design-Build Statements of Work (SOW); and, monitoring of construction activities in the form of Post Contract Construction Services (PCCS). Requirements for typical Task Order Statements of Work (SOW) will also involve engineering and architectural services for reports, investigations, subsoil investigations, site surveys, and analysis, site utility studies, geotechnical engineering services, environmental studies, energy studies/audits, materials selection, and design. Firms shall be capable of performing the work with in-house staff and/or in conjunction with consultants, partnerships, and/or joint ventures. GSA historical data from the first four (4) years of the current five (5) AE IDIQ contracts shows 147 individual task orders worth a combined total of just under $20 million dollars. The work will require either single or multiple disciplines, including: Primary disciplines: Architectural Civil Structural Mechanical (HVAC and Plumbing) Electrical Fire Protection Cost Estimator Environmental Engineer Historic Preservationist Landscape Architect Secondary/supplemental disciplines on an as needed basis: Marine Engineer Geotechnical Engineer Registered Land Surveyor Other disciplines as requested by GSA At a minimum, firms shall have a team comprised of the following disciplines – Architects, Electrical Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Fire Protection Engineers, Civil Engineers, Structural Engineers, Environmental Engineers, Cost Estimators, and Historical Preservationists and Landscape Architects. Firm Location and Travel The location of the firm in the general geographic area (defined as within the six New England states) of GSA PBS Region 1 and knowledge of the locality of projects will be evaluated. GSA will not pay for local travel that is within fifty (50) miles from the firm’s closest office, with respect to the awarded project and as approved by GSA. Government contractors must utilize per diem rates according to the appropriate state where they are traveling to. All invoices must include a separate line item for travel costs and include all travel receipts for each approved trip. https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates. The Government will not reimburse any travel or expenses incurred during the selection process. GSA Policies and Regulations Federal projects require compliance with federal regulations and policies such as the GSA PBS P100 (Facilities Standards for the Public Buildings Service) and tenant related design guides, the 2016 Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings, and PBS Order 1096.1, PBS Key Sustainable Products. For more information on GSA design policies and the Utilization of Environmentally Friendly Products please visit: https://www.gsa.gov/real-estate/design-construction/architecture-engineering/facilities-standar ds-p100-overview https://energy.gov/eere/femp/guiding-principles-sustainable-federal-buildings . https://sftool.gov/greenprocurement/green-products/1046/key-sustainable-construction-products/9. Evaluation – General Conduct of Acquisition This RFQ is not a Request for Proposal (RFP). This acquisition will be conducted in accordance with FAR Subpart 36.6 and GSAM Subpart 536.6. Firms interested in responding to this RFQ announcement are invited to submit a completed SF-330 (Parts I and II), inclusive of written narrative (Block 30 of the SF-330). Offerors shall organize the information to highlight responses to the Selection Criteria listed below. All information will be evaluated in an identical manner and in accordance with the specified Selection Criteria. If firms propose under a joint venture agreement, the joint venture must meet the definition of a small business joint venture and each firm must independently demonstrate the ability to implement the requirements of the tasks described herein. GSA has established an Evaluation Board to evaluate the qualifications submitted by Offerors in response to this RFQ. Evaluation is an assessment of the Offeror’s provided information and the Offeror’s ability to perform the prospective contract successfully. Offeror’s will be evaluated by assessing the relative strengths, weaknesses, deficiencies, and risks of each Offeror’s information against the Selection Criteria to determine the Offeror’s ability to perform the contract. Following GSA's review and evaluation of the SF-330’s, a "short list" of the most highly rated firms will be developed. Short-listed firms will be referred to as "selected firms". Selected firms will be invited to participate in oral presentations. The specific details of the oral presentations will be provided to only the selected firms. Selected firms should be aware that their overall final rating depends on both written submissions and their oral presentations. Following oral presentations, the selected firms will then be ranked in order of preference and the Selection Authority will make the final selection from among those firms. Firms that are part of the final selection will receive an RFP from the GSA. If prices (i.e., rates) cannot be successfully negotiated with a particular firm, negotiations will cease, and the next highest rated firm will receive an RFP. Since this procurement is for a multiple-award IDIQ contract, the goal will be to make awards to up to eight (8) firms. Offeror’s Response An Offeror’s response that does not comply with instructions or is otherwise grossly and obviously deficient will be considered non-responsive. An offer will be deemed unacceptable if it does not represent a reasonable initial effort to address itself to the essential requirements of the RFQ, or if it clearly demonstrates that the Offeror does not understand the requirements stated herein. Cursory responses or responses which merely repeat or reformulate the typical Task Order work detailed above will not be considered responsive to the requirements of the RFQ. If an Offeror’s response is rejected, a notice will be sent to the Offeror stating the reason(s) that they will not be considered for further evaluation. Responsibility In accordance with FAR Subpart 9.1, Responsible Prospective Contractors, the Contracting Officer is required to make an affirmative determination of whether a prospective contractor is responsible. The Contracting Officer may, if necessary, conduct a pre-award survey of the prospective contractor as part of the considerations in determining responsibility. In the absence of information clearly indicating that the otherwise selected Offeror is responsible, the Contracting Officer shall make a determination of non-responsibility and refer the matter to the U.S. Small Business Administration which will then determine whether a Certificate of Competency in accordance with FAR Subpart 19.6, Certificates of Competency and Determinations of Responsibility, can be issued. Offeror’s Submission Firms meeting the requirements of this RFQ and who wish to be considered for award shall electronically submit their SF-330 by 2:00 pm local time on 10/13/2023 to Sebastian Asaro, Supervisory Contracting Officer, at sebastian.asaro@gsa.gov, and Sotheavy Khon, Senior Contract Specialist, at sotheavy.khon@gsa.gov. They may also be reached at (649) 398-0455 and (617) 565-8892 respectively. Questions regarding this RFQ shall be submitted by 2:00 pm local time on 09/27/2023 to Sebastian Asaro at sebastian.asaro@gsa.gov and Sotheavy Khon at sotheavy.khon@gsa.gov. Firms are highly encouraged to verify with GSA that their SF-330 has been received. Selection Criteria In accordance with FAR 36.602-1 and GSAM 536.601-1, the selection criteria for this procurement are as follows, listed in descending order of importance: 1. Professional qualifications necessary for satisfactory performance of required services; 2. Past performance on contracts with Government agencies and private industry in terms of cost control, quality of work, and compliance with performance schedules. This includes awards, commendations, recognition for work, and other accolades; 3. Specialized experience and technical competence in the type of work required, including but not limited to, Strategic Workplace Requirements Development, Design Excellence, pre-design services, interior and exterior space alterations/renovations, engineering studies, and construction phase services; 4. Capacity to accomplish the work on multiple simultaneous projects in the required time; 5. Environmental and Sustainable Design Consideration Plan: How the firm will meet the Government's goals of moving towards a net zero portfolio and healthy and sustainable buildings and work environment; 5.a. The firm's approach to sustainable design practice, in both large project planning and in minor repair and alterations or systems design; 5.b. Innovative approaches to energy and water conservation practices which will be incorporated into mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and building envelope systems, workplace designs, and construction waste management requirements; 5.c. Utilization of environmentally friendly products, recycled and/or reused products, low volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) products and products or systems which promote Green/sustainable facilities operations and maintenance; 5.d. How the firm will design systems that incorporate electrification strategies, utility rebates and reduction of greenhouse gasses, embedded carbon reductions, use of life cycle costing, energy modeling, climate adaptation studies, and other tools to move towards a net zero portfolio and a healthy and sustainable buildings and work environment. 5.e. Experience of the firm with LEEDS/SITES certifications and Guiding Principles program. 6. Location of the firm in the general geographic area (defined as within the six New England states) of GSA PBS Region 1 (New England) and knowledge of the locality of the projects. In order to receive maximum consideration under this factor, the AE firm must demonstrate that at least 35% of the architect-engineer contract services (based on the total contract price) will be accomplished within the geographical boundaries established for the contract. For Contractor Teaming Arrangements (CTA) in accordance with FAR Subpart 9.6, including Joint Ventures, Partnerships and Prime/Subcontractor relationships, submission of the SF-330 shall include complete information for all parties to allow proper evaluation of the team proposed. This would include whether the proposed CTA has worked together in the past, to what extent, and how it plans to ensure seamless service delivery. Please use Block 30 of the SF-330 as appropriate.