36C24623Q0367.docx

Special Notice Special Notice

GENERAL INFORMATION

CONTRACTING OFFICE ADDRESS

Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office 6 1601 Brenner Ave Salisbury, NC

POINT OF CONTACT*

Contracting Specialist Angela Wilson angela.wilson4@va.gov

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AGENCY’S URL

URL DESCRIPTION

EMAIL DESCRIPTION

DESCRIPTION

THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR SF 330'S ARCHITECT/ENGINEER QUALIFICATION PACKAGES ONLY.

GENERAL INFORMATION:

The W.G. (Bill) Hefner, VAMC, Salisbury, North Carolina seeking sources and intends to award a firm fixed-price contract for Architect/Engineering (A/E) firm to provide Schematics, Design Development, Construction Documents, Technical Specifications, Construction Period Services, Site Visits, Cost Estimates, As-Built Documentation, and all other related information for Project # 659-24-903, “Steam Line Replacement Project” located at 1601 Brenner Avenue, Salisbury, NC 27705.

The Salisbury VA Medical Center is a working facility and phasing plans for minimizing downtime, and provisions for continuation of service during outages is critical to this project.

Point of Contact: Angela Wilson, Contracting Specialist Email: angela.wilson4@va.gov The NAICS Code for this procurement is 541330 Architectural Services, and the applicable Small Business Size Standard is $16.5 million annual revenue.

The NAICS code for the anticipated Construction project is projected to be 236220 and magnitude of construction is predicted to be between $10,000,000 and $20,000,000. The anticipated award date of the construction phase of the project is to be determined (TBD).

An Architect & Engineer (A/E) contract will be negotiated for the development of complete construction documents which include working drawings, specifications, reports, and construction period services. The A/E will be given written information; participate in project planning meetings, pre-proposal meeting, and pre-construction meeting as required; communicate with VA personnel via telephone or e-mail; and is expected to coordinate so that the final documents include all requirements in accordance with industry standard practices, VA standards, VA design manuals, and review comments.

SCOPE OF WORK:

Steam Line Replacement Project Number: 659-24-903

SCOPE OF WORK

1. Project Requirements Department of Veterans Affairs, Salisbury NC requires a main steam line replacement from building 18 to building 10. Currently, the underground lines have leaks as shown by thermal imaging taken by a drone. The VAMC is using an enormous amount of make-up water causing corrosion issues in the system.

A-E Part One Services (also known as Design Phase Services) for this design project include site visits, field investigation, studies, and user interviews to prepare drawings, specifications, and cost estimates for all facets of work and disciplines/trades to replace underground steam lines from building 18 to building 10.

The initial phase is to produce an acceptable design for bid. This design will allow the Design-Bid-Build (DBB) Contractor to provide the following services:

Thermal Images of Steam Lines

A/E Part Two Services of this design project (also known as Construction Period Services) includes responding to construction contractor Requests For Information (RFIs) during the solicitation (solicitation support) and construction phases of the construction project, attendance at pre-bid, post-award and commissioning kick off construction project conferences, review of construction material submittals and shop drawings, approximately 4 site visits per month during construction (both scheduled and emergent) to ensure compliance with the design drawings and specifications, preparation of site visit reports, coordination with project commissioning requirements, review of any construction project modifications for cost and technical acceptability, attendance and participation during the final acceptance inspection, preparation of the punch list and preparation of record drawings of the completed construction project based on the construction contractor’s as-built drawings. The A/E shall prepare a submittal log to be utilized by the VA during construction period services, maintain RFI log and provide meeting minutes for weekly construction meetings throughout the duration of construction.

3. DESIGN WITHIN FUNDING LIMITATIONS:

The design shall be prepared by the A-E to permit the award of a construction contract, using Federal Acquisition Regulation procedures for the construction of the facilities. The design project must comply with VAAR 836.606-71, Application of 6 percent architect-engineer fee limitation.

4. DESIGN INDEPENDENCE, FURNITURE, AND EQUIPMENT:

Designs for construction must produce a “complete and usable” facility or improvement when constructed. VA policy (VHA Office of Capital Assets Management, Engineering and Support memo Updated Construction Guidance and Expectations dated Sep 12, 2016) requires the A-E to certify that their design (including all bid alternates/bid deducts) is independent of any future construction project. In addition, the A-E must certify that it has produced a design that does not include furniture and equipment that will be procured separately. Equipment that can be part of the design includes those items to meet code requirements for building occupancy; items covered in the VA’s Master Construction Specifications (PG-18-1) Divisions 1 through 10, 13 through 26, or 28 through 48; non-IT equipment items covered by Division 27; and items covered by Division Numbers 12 31 00, 12 32 00, 12 34 00, and 12 36 00.

The A-E shall submit as part of the Final Bid Documents submittal a signed letter on company letterhead stating the design’s independence.

5. DESIGN CRITERIA:

The VA Technical Information Library (TIL) available at http://www.cfm.va.gov/til/index.asp is managed by the VA Office of Construction & Facilities Management and is the master repository for all VA Numbered Standards for Construction to include design and construction specifications, procedures, standard details, BIM/CAD standards, equipment guides, space planning, and design guides. The documents of the TIL shall be the minimum design criteria for all VA projects performed in the construction of new facilities and the modernization, alteration, addition, or improvement of its real property. All design documents shall be developed in accordance with the VA TIL, including (but not limited to) the following listed Department of Veterans Affairs References:

PG-18-1

Master Construction Specifications SOW Attachment 01 VHA Required Division 01 Specification Sections List

PG-18-3

Design and Construction Procedures [Including but not limited to: Codes, Standards, and Executive Orders]

PG-18-4

Standard Details and CAD Standards

PG-18-5

Equipment Guide List H-18-8 Seismic Design Requirements

PG-18-9

Space Planning Criteria

PG-18-10

Design Manuals (by discipline) [Including but not limited to: Guiding Principles checklists as indicated for Minor Projects in Sustainable Design Manual, Life Cycle Cost Analysis]

PG-18-12

Design Guides (graphical, by function)

PG-18-13

Barrier-Free Design Standard

PG-18-14

Room Finishes, Door, and Hardware Schedule

PG-18-15

A-E Submission Requirements, Volume C

PG-18-17

NEPA Interim Guidance for Projects H-7545 VA Cultural Resource Management Procedures See SOW Section 17 OIT Infrastructure Standard for Telecommunications Spaces v3.1 (1 July 2021)

The following references should also be used to complete the design documents:

Where conflicts exist between VA adopted codes and standards and the documents on the TIL, the A-E shall bring this to the attention of the VA. The resolution of the conflict shall be made by the authority having jurisdiction for VA to ensure consistency department-wide.

6. DESIGN COLLABORATION:

The A-E is required to ensure all elements of the design adhere to the Life Safety Code, including recommendations for temporary construction barriers, prior to the Independent Life Safety review.

7. LIFE SAFETY REVIEW:

The A-E shall incorporate any comments from the VA life safety review into specifications and drawings where applicable.

8. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION:

The A-E shall assist the VA with completion of a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) assessment as required by the VAMC. If the NEPA assessment results in potential environmental impacts, the A-E shall be responsible for completing any auxiliary documentation required per PG-18-17, NEPA Interim Guidance for Projects located on the TIL (http://www.cfm.va.gov/til/etc/NEPAGuidance.pdf). Additional requirements may include, but are not limited to, Environmental Assessment, Environmental Impact Statement, and Record of Decision. The NEPA analysis and concluding documentation must be completed by the Final Bid Documents submittal.

9. PHYSICAL SECURITY:

The A-E must include a certified physical security specialist. The specialists must be involved with the design, beginning with the concept phase, and the qualifications must be submitted to the COR for review and approval prior to the concept/basis of design phase. The specialists shall meet the specific requirements listed in the VA Physical Security and Resiliency Design Manual (PSRDM) revised April 1, 2021, located on the TIL (https://www.cfm.va.gov/til/PhysicalSecurity/dmPhySec.pdf). The A-E shall ensure that all applicable aspects of the VA PSRDM are incorporated into the design and shall prepare a written report acknowledging compliance as required by the VAMC. The A-E must inform the COR of any physical security items that will be difficult to achieve during the concept/basis of design phase and assist the VA with waiver requests as necessary.

10. Building Automated System (BAS) DESIGN:

Design to cover control system to monitor and trend data for emergency power. Control points to be accessed at locations: AOD building 2, Electrical shop in building 4, Building 21B, Police Building.

11. SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS:

Design submittals shall follow the requirements of Program Guide, PG-18-15, Volume C, A-E Submission Instructions for Minor and NRM Construction Program dated November 2008. Submittal documents shall be prominently marked “For Official Use Only (FOUO)” if they contain qualifying data as defined in VHA Memorandum 2019-11-13 Sensitive Infrastructure Data Classification - For Official Use Only (FOUO).

The A-E shall deliver design submittal documents that follow the iterative phase breakdown for design work in PG-18-15 and as additionally specified below. Specific requirements for each discipline/work product listed under each phase can be found in PG-18-15. It is expected for the phase of design that each of the checked items in the SD/DD/CD columns will be completed for the submittal. The A-E shall attend a review meeting following each design submittal as indicated under the Project Schedule section of this Statement of Work. Each new submittal will incorporate all VA comments from the previous submittal. The Asbestos Abatement requirements in PG-18-15 are applicable at Salisbury VAMC due to the age of the campus (construction began in the 1950s).

The following submittals will be required for this project:

12. DRAWING FORMAT:

All drawings shall adhere to VA project software requirements for [Building Information Modeling (BIM) OR Computer Aided Design (CAD)] available at http://www.cfm.va.gov/til/projReq.asp. BIM software shall be Revit/CAD 2019 or the latest version available to W.G. (Bill) Hefner VAMC, Salisbury.

The A/E shall provide a computer 3D model and prepare various 3D renderings to present to VA throughout the design phase to adequately represent architectural, mechanical/electrical/plumbing (MEP), site conditions and other items in the design to aide with facility visualization and contractor coordination.

The project BIM model minimum requirements shall be developed to include the systems described below as they would be built, the processes of installing them and to reflect record drawing conditions (possibly incorporating into the W.G. (Bill) Hefner VAMC, Salisbury Master Record Drawing – pending facility expertise). The deliverable model at the SD, DD and CD design phases shall be developed to include as many of the systems described below (but not limited to) as are necessary and appropriate at that design phase.

13. SUBMITTAL FORMATS:

Submittals shall be provided in electronic and hard copy formats as listed below. Portable Document Format (.pdf), Microsoft Office Suite formats (.doc, .xls, and .ppt), Microsoft Project (.mpp), and Autodesk Revit Project (.rvt) files are acceptable. The A-E must establish a submittal exchange service or SharePoint site to provide all electronic copies of required submittals. The A-E must ensure the submittal exchange service is accessible by VA personnel and provide station personnel and contracting office with the information necessary to access the service. Submittals shall additionally be compliant with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. '794 d); information on the requirements for accessible media can be found at https://section508.gov/. The A-E shall be responsible for providing:

Meeting/Conference Agendas and Minutes Agendas and other required documents for all status update meetings will be provided to the Post-Award CO/CS and COR a minimum of 24 hours in advance of the meeting. At the initial status update meeting, the frequency of subsequent status update meetings will be established and mutually agreed to by the contractor, VA station personnel, and the Post-Award CO/CS.

Meeting minutes for all formal meetings and conferences held with the VA, including weekly construction meetings, shall be submitted within seven calendar days of the meeting or conference. All documents in any of the electronic formats listed above.

Minimum meeting minutes requirements

Construction Cost Estimates Construction cost estimates shall comply with the VA Manual for Preparation of Cost Estimates & Related Documents for VA Facilities dated February 1, 2019, located on the TIL (http://www.cfm.va.gov/cost/index.asp). All estimates in any of the electronic formats listed above.

Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) Plan All documents in any of the electronic formats listed above.

Basis of Design (BD)

Schematic Design (SD)

Design Development (DD), and Construction Documents (CD)

Final Bid Documents (Bid)

14. OPTION ITEM REQUIREMENTS:

Solicitation Support Services Pre-bid site visit to include meeting and project walk around. This is the meeting where contractors are invited to the job site to visually inspect the construction site to accurately develop a construction bid package.

Answer any technical questions/requests for information (RFIs) received from contractors over the duration of the solicitation, including questions asked during the site visit. Questions from contractors may come at multiple times and cover several questions over the course of the solicitation period. Technical question responses will be provided to the Contracting Officer who will distribute the information via amendment to the solicitation.

Answers to RFIs will be required from the A-E within five calendar days of the date the questions are sent to the A-E from either the project COR or CO. An alternate response period may be submitted for review, however, unless approved by the CO and COR, the A-E is required to comply with the five-calendar-day requirement.

Throughout the solicitation period, the A-E shall provide addenda as necessary if required to revise specs and drawings.

In response to any technical questions and/or addenda issued during the solicitation period, the A-E shall provide any final revisions to the 100% FC CD as part of the construction contract. These documents shall be labeled Final Construction.

Construction Period Services (CPS) Requests for Information (RFI) Requests for Information shall be submitted within three calendar days of submittal to the A-E.

Submittal Reviews Submittal reviews shall be submitted within seven calendar days of submittal to the A-E.

Site Visit Reports Site visit reports shall be submitted within seven calendar days of the visit. All documents in any of the electronic formats listed above.

Modification/Change Order Requests Modification requests shall be submitted within seven calendar days (check all against Dale’s email) of submittal to the A-E. This includes the review of the contractor’s change order/modification proposal for construction change orders, as well as the formulation of an IGCE for the modification, as requested. The A-E's reply regarding their review of cost proposals and their recommendations shall include an independent breakdown of costs in detail, quantities, and unit prices and shall cover both additions and deductions of labor, materials, and equipment. The A-E shall also supply cost estimates as requested by the COR for Requests for Proposals for anticipated changes. All documents in any of the electronic formats listed above. Note: If major modification, VA will provide additional time and document format guidance.

Punch List Punch list shall be submitted within seven calendar days of the final acceptance inspection. All documents in any of the electronic formats listed above.

Record Drawings Record drawings shall be delivered to the VA within 30 calendar days after VA acceptance of the construction project. Autodesk Revit Project (.rvt) format and AutoCAD (.dwg) format.

15. PROJECT SCHEDULE/PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:

The A-E shall perform Part One Services/Design Phase work according to the schedule shown below. The A-E is also responsible for following Specification Section 01 32 16.01, Architectural and Engineering CPM Schedules, located in SOW Attachment 02. If a due date on the timeline below falls on a Holiday or Weekend, the submittal shall be due the following business day. The remaining timeline will not be shifted to accommodate Holidays or Weekends.

The 365 days listed in part one project schedule may fluctuate based on when 95% CD submittal meets all VA guidelines and acceptance is issued. If 95% CD submittal is not accepted due to insufficient design Solicitation Support Services (Optional Line Item) shall be performed for the length of time between the time the option is exercised and award of the construction project. Construction Period Services (Option Line Items) and Third-Party Commissioning (Option Line Item) shall be performed for the length of time between the time the option(s) are exercised and acceptance of Construction Completion. The VA has 365 calendar days from final acceptance of the design to exercise the option(s) for Solicitation Support Services, Construction Period Services, and Third-Party Commissioning.

16. CONTRACT OVERSIGHT:

All contracts for this project shall be awarded by the VISN 6 Contracting Office; only a warranted VA Contracting Officer shall have authority to change the terms and conditions of a contract. These changes may involve the contract award amount, contract period of performance, issuance of stop work orders, and changes to the statement of work.

VISN 6 Contracting Officer shall designate a Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) to monitor and manage the A-E’s performance under the design project contract. The COR shall be a representative of the VAMC Engineering team and have the technical knowledge required to monitor and oversee the project.

A COR from the VAMC Engineering team shall also be designated for the construction project contract to monitor and manage the construction contractor’s performance under the construction project contract. This designation under the construction contract shall be considered equivalent to the industry standard of “Owner’s Representative” and does not supersede or eliminate the A-E’s responsibility for Part Two Services/Construction Period Services. The A-E ultimately shall be responsible for any errors and omissions with the design discovered during and after the construction phase.

17. OI&T INFRASTRUCTURE STANDARD FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS SPACES:

The current version for this standard is located on the TIL (https://www.cfm.va.gov/til/dguide/OIT-InfrastrucStdTelecomSpaces.pdf). The design for this project at the Salisbury VAMC in Salisbury, NC must meet the Campus Support Center (CSC) requirements of the Infrastructure Standard for Telecommunications Spaces (The Standard).

The Standard serves as the master reference document of criteria for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facility Information Technology (IT) support infrastructure. It defines the technical requirements necessary to maintain optimum reliability and efficiency within VA facilities and computing centers. IT Support Infrastructure is defined as all passive telecommunications and information technology equipment and supporting physical space and equipment.

This Standard is maintained by the Enterprise Data Center Infrastructure Collaboration Team (EDICT). Questions or concerns should be directed to Enterprise Data Center and Infrastructure Engineering (DCIE) at VAITESEDatacenterEngineering2@va.gov.

Users must ensure their use of this technology/standard is consistent with VA policies and standards, including, but not limited to, VA Handbooks 6102 and 6500; VA Directives 6004, 6513, and 6517; and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards, including Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). Users must ensure sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. Prior to use of this technology, users should check with their supervisor, Information Security Officer (ISO), Facility Chief Information Officer (CIO), or local Office of Information and Technology (OI&T) representative to ensure that all actions are consistent with current VA policies and procedures prior to implementation.

18. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS:

The Contractor shall be required to report to their respective COR (Building 15) to be issue a badge to work on campus.

END OF STATEMENT OF WORK

ESTIMATED START AND COMPLETION DATES:

The Government has determined that based on the scope of the project, the location of the work to be performed, and phasing requirements, a performance period of 365 calendar days after the issuance of the Notice to Proceed (NTP) is sufficient. (Estimated start 05/2023 - Estimated completion 05/2024).

A/E SELECTION PROCESS:

The agency has convened an evaluation board for the evaluation of responses to this notice. Responses will be evaluated in accordance with the Selection of Architects and Engineers Statute (Public Law 92-582), formerly known as the Brooks Act, and implemented in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 36.6. Specifically, SF330 submissions will be evaluated to identify the most highly qualified firms, using the selection criteria identified below. Each respondent must be able to demonstrate the ability to comply with FAR Clause 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting. Discussions will be held with at least three (3) of the most highly qualified firms. Interviews may be conducted. The processes at FAR 36.602-4 and FAR 36.606 will then be followed. Selected firms will be notified by telephone or email of selection and provided further instructions.

Evaluating past performance and experience may include information provided by the firm, customer inquiries, Government databases, Contracting Officer knowledge of current project performance, and publicly available sources. 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 SF330 must be completed by the office/branch/individual team member performing the work under this contract.

SELECTION CRITERIA (EXAMPLE): Evaluation and selection of firms will be based on submissions and direct responses to the following criteria which are numbered in descending order of importance:

(1) Professional qualifications necessary for satisfactory performance of required service and working together as a team (in-house and/or consultants(s)). Note: The firm and A/E on staff representing the project or signing drawings in each discipline must be registered/licensed to practice in the United States. Provide your information on the SF330 clearly marked by providing a current architect and/or engineering License numbers AND proof of Licensure. The VA will confirm the individuals are current and in good standing with the respective state license board.

(2) Specialized experience and technical competence in the type of work required, including but not limited to: Architecture, Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fire Protection, Abatement/Industrial Hygiene, Cost Estimation, Project Management and where appropriate, experience in energy conservation, pollution prevention, waste reduction, and the use of recovered materials. (Include Government and private Experience on similar projects).

(3) 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 on recent and relevant contracts with government agencies Recent is defined as performance occurring within 5 years of the date of this notice, except that ongoing project must have begun no less than one (1) year prior to the issuance of this notice. Relevancy is defined as performance of work on projects that are similar in scope to the types of projects anticipated under the resultant contracts. Respondents with no previous past performance shall state this when addressing the selection criteria. Where there is no record of past performance, the proposal will be evaluated neither favorably nor unfavorably.

(4) Capacity: This factor evaluates firm's experience with similar size projects and the available capacity of key disciplines when evaluating the capacity of a firm to perform the work in the required time. The general workload and staffing capacity of the design office will be evaluated. List current projects with similar design fee being designed in the firm’s office. Indicate the firms present workload and the availability of the project team (including sub-consultants) for the specified contract performance period.

(5) Location in general geographical area and knowledge of the locality of the project and that your proximity to the general geographical area enables you to respond to emergency calls in person within 24 hours if required. (SF330 submittal should show your knowledge of the locality of the project.). Eligible prime contractor firms must have a main and/or branch office geographically located within the 500-mile driving distance.

(6) Construction Period Services experience: 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.

(7) Record of significant claims against the firm because of improper or incomplete architectural and engineering services.

(8) 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 CRITERIA/REQUIREMENTS:

Interested firms having the capabilities to perform this work must submit:

ONE (1) ELECTRONIC SF330, including Parts I and II, and attachments (if any) electronically to angela.wilson4@va.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on 7 March 2023.

Interested firms are responsible for ensuring electronic delivery of submission by the time and the date specified. It is highly recommended interested firms confirm electronic submissions have been received by the Contracting Officer.

The SF330 form may be downloaded from http://www.gsa.gov/portal/forms/type/SF All SF330 submissions shall be clearly indicated in subject line, displaying the procurement number, project title, and firm’s name (abbreviated or shortened is okay). Email capacity is limited to seven to ten megabytes (MB’s). 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. Electronic submittals 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 considered. All information must be included in the SF330 submission package.

It is the offeror’s responsibility to check the Contract Opportunities website at: SAM.gov | Home for any revisions to this announcement prior to submission of SF330s.

The following format should be used:

(1) Cover Page with Solicitation Number, Project Title

(2) Table of Contents

(3) SF 330 Parts I and II

(4) Acceptability under other appropriate evaluation criteria, i.e., SF 330, Section H.

(5) Copy of Current A/E state Engineer/Architect License

(6) Unique Entity ID (UEI)

(7) Tax ID number

(8) A copy of the firms VetBiz Registry

(9) The E mail address and Phone number of the Primary Point of Contact.

REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION: All RFIs shall be submitted to angela.wilson4@va.gov

Special Notice