36C24624R0040.docx

SUBJECT*

A/E Replace Domestic/Chilled Water, Steam Piping Project Number: 558-24-160

GENERAL INFORMATION

Building 1 and 23

508 Fulton Street

Durham NC

CONTACT INFORMATION

CONTRACTING OFFICE ADDRESS

Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office 6 100 Emancipation Drive Hampton VA 23667

POINT OF CONTACT*

Contract Specialist Jonathan Lamb Jonathan.Lamb@va.gov 757-315-2511

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This request for A-E firm qualifications packages is 100% set-aside for Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) concerns under VAAR 852.219-73, VA Notice of Total Set-Aside for Certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (Jan 2023) (Deviation) THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR SF 330'S ARCHITECT- ENGINEER QUALIFICATION PACKAGES ONLY.

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT FOR PROCUREMENT OF ARCHITECT-ENGINEERING (A-E) SERVICES: This is a request for Standard Form 330, Architect-Engineer Qualifications only. A-E Services are being procured 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) subpart 36.6. All submissions will be evaluated in accordance with the below selection criteria. 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. Firms will be selected based on demonstrated competence and qualifications for the required work. Any resulting award for the proposed A-E services will be procured under a negotiated Firm-Fixed Price contract.

GENERAL INFORMATION:

The Department of Veterans Affairs, Durham Veterans Administration Medical Center (VAMC), is seeking sources and intends to evaluate the existing domestic water, chilled water, and steam piping in Buildings 1 and Building 23, recommend the best piping system for a replacement that meets the medical center peak demand, enhances domestic, hot, and cold-water piping systems efficiency and life cycle cost-effective by minimizing the impacts on the 24/7 medical center operations. The design shall include separate check, isolation, and balancing valves in the water and steam lines at connection points. The design shall also have a demolition plan that complies with all applicable regulations and standards. The A/E to prepare construction bid documents and obtain all applicable building permits. The A/E services shall also include Type C/Construction Period Services to oversee construction and provide construction certification and as-built plans at completion.

The A-E Services listed herein is being procured in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 36.6 and VAAR 836.6. Potential contractors must be registered in SAM (www.sam.gov) and visible/certified in the SBA certification database at https://veterans.certify.sba.gov/ at time of submission of their qualifications in order to be considered for an award. As a prospective offeror for this Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) set aside, you are verifying your company meets the status requirements of a SDVOSB concern as established by VAAR 852.219-73.

Pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 8127(l)(2), all interested firms are required to submit the certification at VAAR 852.219-75 VA Notice of Limitations on Subcontracting – Certificate of Compliance for Services and Construction (Jan 2023) (Deviation) with their qualification package. The Government will not consider submissions from firms that do not provide the signed certification, and all such responses will be deemed ineligible for evaluation and award.

The Durham 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: Jonathan Lamb, Contract Specialist, Jonathan.Lamb@va.gov Questions shall be submitted to the Point of Contact no later than 5pm on February 4th, 2024.

PROJECT INFORMATION:

Project No. 558-24-160 Project Title: A/E Replace Domestic/Chilled Water and Steam Piping Durham VA Health Care System 508 Fulton Street, Durham, North Carolina 27705 The NAICS Code for this procurement is 541310, Architect and Engineering – Construction: Maintenance Buildings, and the applicable Small Business Size Standard is $12.5 million annual revenue. The projected award date for the anticipated A-E contract is on or about June 18th, 2024.

The NAICS code for the anticipated Construction project is projected to be 237110 and magnitude of construction is predicted to be between $500,000 and $1,000,000. 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.

Design shall comply with VA guidelines and specifications. Design manuals and specifications can be found at http://www.cfm.va.gov/TIL/. Design shall also meet all applicable codes and standards. Proposed work is located at the Durham VA Medical Center; Bldgs. 1 and 23.

STATEMENT OF TASK/SCOPE OF WORK:

The Architectural and Engineering (A/E) consultant shall provide all necessary A/E services to prepare complete contract drawings, specifications, technical reports, cost estimates, construction schedule plan (E.g., Gantt Chart), site visits and technical construction to replace all domestic water lines, chilled water lines, and steam piping in building 1 and building 23 at the Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System (DVAHCS).

In the basement of Building 1, all horizontal domestic water, chilled water, and steam lines were supposedly replaced almost ten years ago. However, the piping replacement project did not include replacing and installing risers in Building 1 and Building 23. Existing piping needs to be replaced since it has several problems (such as corrosion, leaks, and a lack of valves to manage outages) that will only worsen if they are not fixed. The medical center was constructed in the early 1950s. Its site layout and satellite image have been provided in Appendices E and F for reference.

To address the concerns above, the scope of work will include, but not be restricted to, the architectural, civil, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, project management, and other relevant specialties necessary to fulfill the proposed project’s objectives and scope, as outlined in the following section.

The systems designed are expected to meet their primary intent of providing a sanitary, safe, reliable, and sustainable facility to the VA facility’s wide range of occupants, including patients, personnel, volunteers, and visitors.

I. STATEMENT OF PROJECT OBJECTIVES

The DVAHCS aims to have an A/E consultant extensively survey, examine, and document the existing Buildings 1 and 23’s Domestic Water, Chilled Water and Steam Piping systems’ deficiencies before producing a replacement design that eliminates the observed deficiencies. Doing so will aid in gaining the knowledge and insight required to professionally and effectively develop comprehensive and accurate construction documents by achieving the following project objectives:

1. Survey and review existing plumbing drawings (including equipment connections, riser diagrams) to determine the extent the project. A comprehensive review of the existing domestic water, chilled water, and steam piping in Buildings 1 and Building 23 is critical.

2. Propose a demolition plan that complies with the VA, federal, and local government requirements by minimizing the impacts on the 24/7 medical center operations. The demolition shall be performed in such a manner as to eliminate hazards to persons and properties by adhering to the VA fire and safety requirements. The plan shall illustrate the precise demolition details, including the sequence and removal of all the debris and rubbish and the legal disposal of all materials.

3. Adhere to the piping design requirements for legionella mitigation. An example of such requirements necessitates that cold and hot water piping systems be insulated per the latest version of ASHRAE 90.1. Also, Piping and components must be cleaned and protected from accumulation of debris and contamination before and during installation.

4. Propose a design that meet the medical center peak demand, enhances domestic, hot, and cold-water piping systems efficiency and life cycle cost effective. For instance, oversized piping or long pipe runs can result in delivery delay of hot water to the end users and waste both energy and water resources.

5. Provide a design that minimizes the volume of tempered water sitting in piping or tubing using appropriate check valves. The design shall also be based on acceptable press-connect type fittings. For instance, the use of press-connect type fittings is prohibited in most cases.

6. Provide separate check, isolation and balancing valves in the hot water return circulating lines at the point of connections of the domestic hot water supply line (main, branch or riser) with the hot water recirculation loop. The balancing valve shall be the type specified in VA Master Specification 22 05 23.

7. Design to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local environmental protection standards and regulations governing energy conservation, air quality, water quality, solid waste, and hazardous waste. Identify all environmental hazards, liabilities, and compliance matters. Identify how to reach such determinations and define the mitigation approach for each one.

8. Develop a phasing plan taking into consideration minimal disruption to current staff, maintaining emergency egress, storage of construction equipment and materials, security and access, debris removal and maintenance of the clean environment. The specific phasing requirements shall be established by the VA prior to the 35% design submission. The VA will notify the A/E on the availability of the entire work area or if partial areas will be required for the duration of construction.

9. Review the medical center’s existing environmental permits, including the facility asbestos management plan, and build upon those permits to meet project requirements (e.g., the 3-year Asbestos Survey for DVAHCS).

10. Provide initial programming, schematic design concept 35% design documents, design development 65% documents, 95% construction documents, and 100% final design bid documents for architectural, civil, mechanical, electrical, HVAC, fire protection, phasing, demolition, and construction of improvements within the project limits.

II. STATEMENT OF A/E TASKS

The A/E shall develop and provide a set of drawings and Specifications for conceptual, design development and final design purposes which meet the previously stated Project Scope and Objectives.

A. A/E shall furnish all services for a complete design development, construction documents, and construction period services as specified in the subject contract. The design shall include:

1. Necessary site surveys to identify and verify the existing Domestic Water, Chilled Water and Steam Piping in concordance with the project objectives during the preparation of Design Development. System verification may include visual inspection and testing to ascertain the existing operating and performance conditions that will impact the design and construction process.

2. Field investigation methods and design documentation methods should be efficient and, at the same time, meet federal contracting Construction Document (CD’s) practices. Construction companies should be able to bid on the project without conducting a site visit. CD’s must be electronic, but efficient documentation methods can be used, such as the overlay of existing drawings, pictures, excel spreadsheets with ref notes, use of keynotes, etc.

3. Coordination with the VA management and personnel impacted by the project is necessary to establish the design, construction phasing and safety requirements, etc. The drawings shall contain boldly printed instructions requiring the same level of coordination by the construction contractor and subcontractors.

4. Set of all pertaining drawings such as demolition, phasing, architectural, civil, structural, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and specifications for conceptual, design development, and final design purposes which meet the previously stated Project Scope/Objectives.

5. A commissioning plan in accordance with the VA whole Building Commissioning process manual dated May 1, 2013, including its revisions to ensure that systems perform interactively according to the design/construction documents and the VA’s operational needs.

B. A/E shall design to best practices and industry standards for replacing the buildings 1 and 23 Domestic Water, Chilled Water and Steam Piping. Design shall:

1. Hazardous Materials: The A/E shall have all areas to be impacted by design or construction tested for asbestos and lead containing materials and incorporated into the plans and specifications. However, as a baseline to not duplicate efforts, current VA hazardous material surveys shall be first reviewed by the A/E to determine what has already been tested positive. This information shall be incorporated into the construction contract documents. However, all other questionable or unknown items and materials that may contain asbestos or lead shall be further sampled and tested. Additionally proper asbestos abatement design and IH monitoring services required during construction to correct the deficiencies selected for the construction design portion of this project shall also be provided by the A/E. The Scope of work for this effort can be found in Appendix B.

2. Safety and Health Plan during Construction: Include a safety plan per OSHA, AIA, and VA guidelines for all VA construction projects. A/E shall specify the applicable standards and method of plan development for work areas and interactions within the facility. A/E shall perform a Pre-Construction Risk Assessment (PCRA) to identify safety risks and determine the level of precautions needed to prevent impacts related to construction on patients, staff, and contractors (cf. to Appendix C for this effort). Interim Life Safety Measures (ILSM) shall be included in the safety plan. Ensure proper life safety, including (but not limited to) egress, proper fire/smoke compartmentation, fire alarm, sprinkler system, etc. The A/E shall also be responsible for developing their own safety for all site investigations.

3. Utility Shutdown: Comply with the VA mandatory requirements for utility shutdowns and fire watches. The A/E shall provide a list of all utility shutdowns required for this project and identify each shutdown in a Construction Schedule Gant Chart. This will include, but not be limited to electrical. The A/E shall provide the estimated time of each outage and a narrative of the shutdown’s impact on the medical center operations.

4. A/E Checklist: The A/E shall specify the applicable standards and method of development for a Quality Control Plan. The A/E shall not be responsible for the development, but only for identifying and specifying the appropriate standard forms for Quality Control inspections that will become part of the overall plan.

5. VA seismic requirements: Comply with VA seismic requirements for the North Carolina Area.

6. Phasing work: Consider phasing plans, working, and testing devices off hours to minimize impact & disruptions to medical center operations especially patient care. Provide detailed phasing plans for all work. The Scope of work for this effort can be found in Appendix A.

7. Permit Requirements Identification: the project may require that the government secure permits for pollution, construction, operation, etc. As required, investigate the need for, report on, develop the required data and design information, and obtain and submit completed draft and final permit applications with supporting documentation to the VA Facility.

8. Comply with all VA Information and Information-System Security and Privacy requirements. Also, propose a cost-effective design.

C. A/E shall provide detailed cost estimation, specification specific, and detailed project scheduling & phasing. Also, A/E shall provide a detailed listing of all deliverables due per specifications/contract documents per MS Excel Spreadsheet(s) (E.g., Submittals, Training, O&Ms, Warranties, Parts,) bid period and (optional) construction period services as further described in the contract. Estimates shall have a full itemized breakout for this VA Non-Recurring Maintenance (NRM) project.

D. A/E shall develop and execute a quality assurance 3rd party (QA/QC) plan that demonstrates the team’s method of review for the project plans and specifications. The project QA/QC shall have gone through a rigorous, thorough review and coordination effort. The QA/QC plan shall be submitted to the VA along with the project schedule. Within 14 calendar days after receipt of Notice to Proceed, the Contractor shall submit a detailed QA/QC plan describing each QA/QC task that will be taken during the development of the various design submission packages and the name of the Contractor member responsible for QA/QC. Each task shall be initialed and dated by the responsible Contractor member upon its completion. A 100% completed QA/QC plan shall be submitted with the final construction document submission package.

E. A/E shall provide bid document preparation in quantities as specified in the contract. VA shall manage the posting of bid documents electronically via the web to prospective bidders.

F. A/E shall provide professional design and construction period services utilizing individuals who are adequately knowledgeable of the various design disciplines including but not limited to architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, environment compliance as required by the project. Changes in personnel from those who are proposed in negotiations, interviews, kick-off meetings, and/or A/E submission forms must be approved in writing.

G. A/E shall design within funding limitations. A/E shall coordinate cost control measures with COR throughout the design. A/E to thoroughly explore cost control and primary alternatives in Design Development (DD). Primary cost control alternatives shall be thoroughly explored in DD.

H. A/E shall consider Energy efficiency and cost savings in design decisions.

I. A/E shall develop a Contract Document Deliverable List for the Contractor to track items such as submittals, coordination items, reports, samples, manuals, tests, etc.

III. BASIS FOR DESIGN

The design shall comply with all current governing VA regulations and specifications.

Standards may be obtained from the Department of Veterans Affairs Technical Information Library (TIL) at: http://www.cfm.va.gov/TIL/. Also, see VA Design Manuals at http://www.cfm.va.gov/til/dManual.asp. To cite only a few, the following are some specific ones:

A. DESIGN GUIDES (PG-18-12) - Office of Construction & Facilities Management (va.gov) B. Design Manuals (PG-18-10): https://www.cfm.va.gov/til/dManual.asp C. Cost Estimating Requirements for Veterans Affairs Facilities: https://www.cfm.va.gov/til/ae/CostEstimatingManual.pdf D. VA TIL, PG-18-15, A/E Design Submissions and Review found at http://www.cfm.va.gov/til/aeDesSubReq.asp.

E. DESIGN CRITERIA: https://www.cfm.va.gov/til/criteria.asp F. Design alerts: ALERTS - Office of Construction & Facilities Management (va.gov) G. VHA Directives: e.g., 7715 Safety and Health During Construction, 19HEF - Healthcare Environment and Facilities Programs H. Asbestos Abatement Design Manual: https://www.cfm.va.gov/til/dManual/dmASBhosp.pdf I. Other related referenced standards and VA guidance:

1. VA TIL, PG-18-3, Design and Construction Procedure

2. HVAC Design Manual, DESIGN MANUALS (PG-18-10) - Office of Construction & Facilities Management (va.gov)

3. Plumbing Design Manual Plumbing, https://www.cfm.va.gov/til/dManual/dmPlbg.pdf

4. Whole Building Commissioning Process Manual https://www.cfm.va.gov/til/spclRqmts.asp#Cx

5. NAIMA 3E Plus program may also be accessed through the Department of Energy Industrial Technology Program website. Design shall conform to VA-PG-18-9 Space Planning Criteria at http://www.cfm.va.gov/til/index.asp .

J. Compliance with the Physical Security design manuals for VA Facilities found at http://www.cfm.va.gov/til/dmanual.asp K. Comply with current applicable state, local, and federal building codes, and standards as well as codes/standards from other recognized authoritative bodies. This includes, but is not limited to, International Plumbing Code (IPC), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 54 (National Fuel Gas Code), and NFPA 99 (Health Care Facilities Code), American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) 90.1-2013 (Energy Standard for Building Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings) and ASHRAE Handbook HVAC Applications, and the American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) Data Books, National Environmental Balancing Bureau (NEBB), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Electronic Industry Alliance/ Telecommunications Industry Association (EIA/TIA), National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP), and other applicable codes.

IV. BASIS FOR DESIGN ANALYSIS

A Preliminary: Provide design analysis in letter size format, bound together, and divided into appropriate sections by design discipline. Each design analysis shall describe in detail (with all assumptions specifically identified):

1. The scope of work (as the A/E understands it) with the specific objectives of the project.

2. The applicable Federal, State and Local regulations, codes and standards, with distinction made as to which reviews, approvals and permits are required during the design stage, and which are required before, during and after the construction stage.

3. Any preliminary design calculations prepared by each design discipline (electrical, fire protection, and others as necessary).

4. Reports of site visits and meeting minutes.

5. Results of assessments and evaluations of alternative designs.

6. All other relevant data.

The design analysis shall be updated through each stage of submission. It must reflect any changes in the development of the scope of work due to review comments, formal modifications to the contract, or any other communication (written or oral) between the VA and the A/E. A new requirement is that all new leases and construction projects involving the VA clinics (e.g., Primary Care and Mental Health) shall be designed according to Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) design standards. Construction projects include Major, Minor, Non- Recurring Maintenance (NRM), and Clinical Specific Initiatives (CSI) projects. OCAMES will review all new minor construction designs at 35 percent and 95 percent design completion to ensure the inclusion of PACT design standards.

B Drawings: Base all original drawings on standard VA guidelines. Drawings shall be done in plain view at a minimum scale of 1/8" = 1 '0", where necessary, and generally 1/4" = 1'0" or larger, when possible, to fit on a sheet. Details shall have a minimum scale of 1/4"= 1'0", and if possible, it is preferred larger. All details, title blocks, base plans, etc., shall be drawn as “XREFS” bound to the drawing for submission and final issue only. All other usages shall be drawn from a typical Master Set, daily if required, from a source maintained on the architect’s master database. The database shall be available by modem to all design disciplines and the VA. This requirement aims to ensure consistency and eliminate design conflicts by guaranteeing those common elements of the design stay common elements throughout the design life of the project.

1. Drawings shall be independent for architectural, mechanical, electrical, structural, civil, and any other design disciplines for the project, and shall show, on separate views required demolition and reconstruction details for each function.

2. Drawings shall be prepared in accordance with United States National CAD Standard and VHA Program Guide 18-3, VHA National CAD Standard Application Guide. Electronic versions of drawings shall be submitted using IBM compatible "AutoCAD" 2010 and in Portable Document Format (.pdf). More recent AutoCAD releases are acceptable, with downwards compatibility to the 2010 release. Final drawings shall be plotted in ink on 30" x 42" polyester film sheets. Sepias are not acceptable as original drawings. Final drawings submitted shall be originals and the result of field investigation as described above and shall not be direct take-offs or tracings of any drawing provided as information.

3. Final drawings shall bear the VA title block and nomenclature on polyester sheets as are the sample sheets supplied by the VA. All drawings in a project set shall be on the same type and size sheets. All drawings are required to show existing conditions as of the date of the design submission.

4. All contract drawings shall be produced with a view to the use of half-size reductions. Pertinent criteria to assure this result are as follows:

a) Drawings shall provide uniform photographic quality.

b) Minimum lettering height shall be not less than 1/8 inch.

c) Legends and symbols, as well as size, spacing, location of notes, dimensions, etc., shall be such as to produce legible half-size reproductions.

d) No lettering, shading, or marking on the reverse side is acceptable.

e) Clearly distinguish between new work and existing work.

f) Graphic scales shall be provided on all drawings.

C Specifications: Provide complete project specifications, including all sections of CSI Divisions 1-50 that, in the opinion of the A/E, are necessary to construct the project properly and adequately by a construction contractor. Specifications shall be based on the VA Master Construction Specifications using the current 6-digit Master Format numbering system. Specifications shall be prepared in MS Word, IBM compatible format. Review and edit the applicable sections of the specifications as to completeness, relevance, and correctness. Delete references to industry standards and to other specification sections that do not apply to this project.

1. Provide proper cross-references to other specifications that apply to the work. The intent is to provide specifications suitable for the project intention and detailed enough to enable the Contractor to perform the work in the best and most cost-effective manner possible. It is equally important that the A/E “edit out” portions of the specifications that add additional cost to the project without adding value or quality. Not every portion of the master specification is appropriate to this project. Where a choice of items is referenced in the specification section, consult with VAMC Facilities Management Service for direction on which option to select. The construction contractor shall not be provided options or choices to choose from but must be provided with a specific selection.

2. Obtain from VAMC Facilities Management Service (FMS) the name and type of specialty materials and equipment required for the project. All materials shown in the specifications shall, if named specifically by brand or production name, carry the statement “or approved equal” and include specific material performance requirements that must be satisfied. An exception may occur due to previously purchased or installed items interacting with new construction. In this situation, items used should be the same as existing or matched accordingly. The VA shall provide information on such items. Specify construction in detail in all the specification sections. Tolerances, and workmanship, shall not be allowed to default to “common industry/construction practices” or any similar vague standard. The legal precedence of the specifications over the drawings shall not be used to resolve design ambiguities between the drawings or notes necessary for clarity. Any contradiction, ambiguity, or statements subject to various interpretations shall be immediately corrected to reflect a single clear intention.

3. Ensure all specification requirements are consistent with other sections and with information reflected in the drawings. The A/E may be held liable for costs incurred by the Government for these and similar A/E design errors and inconsistencies in the specifications and drawings.

D Construction Duration Schedules: Project Phasing (CPM) - The A/E firm shall develop a CPM (Critical Path Method) network for project construction. The CPM network shall provide a phasing schedule that will promote a proper and efficient organization and sequence of construction. The schedule will be detailed to accurately estimate the adequate construction duration indicating construction milestones and long lead items. The A/E firm shall, when directed by the Contracting Officer, serve as an advisor to the Contracting Officer in conjunction with construction period services and advise on all phasing matters.

V. DESIGN REVIEWS – SCHEDULES AND REQUIREMENTS

Total time to accomplish Schematics, DDs, and CDs through final reproduced bid documents shall be 365 calendar days from the issuance of the Notice to Proceed corresponding to the Design Kick-off meeting. Each submission will require a maximum of 21 calendar days for VA review, depending upon the A/E responsiveness to previous VA comments and A/E quality control.

At each submission, all drawings and support material shall be dated and appropriately labeled above the title block. All days below are to be interpreted as calendar days:

Table 1: Submission Schedule and number of drawing sets per submission

Initial NTP Meeting

Schematic Design Review Meeting

Design Development Review Meeting

Construction Documents and Design (95%) Review Meeting

The A/E shall prepare a submission schedule based on their understanding of the design, allocated time for each applicable phase, and their staffing workload. The schedule is negotiable so that the timeframes are mutually agreeable to the A/E and VA.

VI. DETAILED SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

Program Guide PG-18-15 establishes the guidelines for the A/E submissions. Design shall be performed and submitted in accordance with VA A/E Submission Instructions for Minor and NRM Construction Program. Refer to https://www.cfm.va.gov/til/aeDesSubReq.asp. These guidelines indicate a minimum level for submission compliance, which may not be adequate for certain types of design. In some instances, in which critical decisions need to be made, sufficient and relevant information must be provided on time for the design to progress to meet specific milestone dates. The level of applicability of the program guide depends upon the scope of work and the exclusions, which are herein specified. Questions regarding the applicability of specific requirements shall be resolved with the medical center staff before any submission deadline. Where “days” are stated, this refers to “calendar,” not “work” days.

A Minimum Requirements for Submissions to DVAHCS: The cost of reproduction of all review materials is included in the contract amount. Submissions shall be made to VAMC Connecticut in accordance with the requirements of VA Program Guide PG-18-15 Volume C, A/E Submission Instructions for Minor and NRM Construction Program dated May 2006, and the following:

(1) Schematic Design Submission (35% Design Document Submission).

1. Narrative Provide a written narrative with a summary of the meetings with the VA Design Team as well as a presentation, discussion and recommendation of the design alternatives which have been explored and evaluated. Key decisions/choices which were made by the VA Design Team prior to the schematic design submission should be documented. The schematic design narrative shall also identify each and all required systems, utilities, and major (built-in) equipment with a brief description of its type, location, use and extent. This narrative shall focus on maintaining Building 1/F-Wing operations.

Hazardous Materials Assessment: Contractor shall complete a hazardous material report applicable to any renovation and/or remodeling projects. See Appendix B for complete SOW.

The A/E shall address constructability issues and their impact on project construction cost.

2. Drawings The A/E shall provide preliminary schematic drawings that show the Domestic Water, Chilled Water and Steam Piping system within the project limits.

Identify and verify as-built conditions in those areas that will be impacted and propose solutions to re-route existing utilities or avoid utility conflicts.

Review existing environmental reports covering the project area. Identify existing asbestos, lead based paint, and other environmental hazard’s locations that will be impacted and identify locations that require further testing.

Provide two full-size (30”x42”) and three half-size (22” x 34”) size Drawings and electronic version of CAD work completed to date.

3. Specifications:

The A/E shall provide an index of all VA Master Specifications which are anticipated to be used for this project.

4. Cost Estimates The A/E shall provide a complete cost estimate with as detailed a breakdown as possible for this stage of design. Separate cost estimate figures shall be given for design alternatives being presented for consideration as part of the schematic design.

5. Construction Schedules and Phasing Plans:

The A/E to provide:

· one Electronic Media (CD ROM) copy of the above documents.

· a preliminary construction schedule and phasing plan.

· a completed PCRA report addressing all areas.

· a completed A/E Review Checklist for all applicable disciplines.

· The 35% schematic package shall include preliminary concept. This shall be submitted 150 calendar days after Notice to Proceed (NTP).

(2) Design development Submission (65% Construction Document Submission):

1. Narrative Provide a written narrative that builds upon the Schematic narrative and continues to document key decisions and be used to further describe and explain important aspects of the design, especially those not yet appearing in the form of a drawing. As an element of the design development narrative, include an outline of work yet to be completed and included on the drawings as part of the Design Development submission (details, elevations, schedules, etc.). The A/E shall further develop constructability issues and their impacts on project construction cost and schedule. Engineering Calculations shall be included as an appendix.

2. Drawings The A/E shall provide design development drawings that show detailed plans to replace the Domestic Water, Chilled Water and Steam Piping system within the project limits.

Provide one full-size (30”x42”) and three half-size (22” x 34”) size Drawings and electronic version of CAD work completed to date.

3. Specifications:

The A/E shall provide Specifications based on criteria established at the initial design meeting as required for supplementing the construction drawings. The A/E shall provide a list of all proposed specification sections: General Conditions, Submittals, Demolition, and all pertinent architectural, electrical, structural, mechanical, fire protection, and communication components.

4. Cost Estimates The A/E shall provide an accurate and detailed cost estimate which will show that the scope and the design of the project are within the project budget. Deductive bid alternates shall be broken out separately to show that they account for 20% of the overall budget for construction award.

5. Design Analysis

6. Construction Schedules and Phasing Plans:

The A/E to provide:

· one Electronic Media (CD ROM) copy of the above documents.

· a preliminary construction schedule and phasing plan.

· a completed and refined PCRA report addressing all areas.

· a completed A/E Review Checklist for all applicable disciplines.

7. 65% Review Schedule:

· 1 copy of A/E responses to VA comments of previous submission

· 1 Electronic Media (CD ROM) copy of the above documents.

· The 65% design development package shall include detailed design. This shall be submitted 246 calendar days after Notice to Proceed (NTP).

(3) Construction Document Submission (Final 95%): Upon completion of all revisions, submit the following items:

1. Narrative:

The A/E shall provide a written narrative with a concise and complete record of the design process including all key design decisions and the background and reasons for the intent of these design decisions. The narratives shall include all records of the meetings with the VA Design Team as well as a presentation, discussion and recommendation of various design alternatives which have been explored and evaluated. Key decisions/choices which were made by the VA Design Team should be documented. The design narrative shall also identify each and all required systems, utilities, and major (built-in) equipment with a brief description of its type, locations, use and extent of the inpatient pharmacy only. The A/E shall address constructability issues and their impacts on project construction cost and schedule. Engineering Calculations shall be included as an appendix. Final Design Analysis shall be in a single file in Portable Document Format (pdf)

2. Drawings:

The A/E shall provide detailed final drawings and calculations based on information collected, and VA comments on the 65% design submittal.

Two size (30”x42”) and three (22” x 34”) size Drawings and one electronic version of CAD work.

3. Specifications:

Provide all Specifications that are required for the construction package. The specifications shall be free of writer’s notes and any editing comments. All information that is not required for this project shall be removed from each individual specification section. The final specifications shall be in Microsoft Word format. The final specifications assembled into a single file in Portable Document Format (pdf).

4. Cost Estimates:

A complete takeoff cost estimate based on the Construction Documents Submission shall be in Microsoft Excel.

5. Construction Schedule and Phasing Plans:

· Provide a detailed Construction Schedule and Construction Phasing Plan. All utility shutdowns shall be included.

· Construction duration schedule shall be in Portable Document Format (pdf)

6. Safety Plan:

Provide a list of all applicable standards, method of plan development, a PCRA report, a VA Infection Control form, and address all Interim Life Safety Measures.

7. Quality Control Plan:

Provide a list of all applicable standards and method of plan development of a Quality Control Plan.

8. Completed A/E Review Checklist:

Provide a completed A/E Review checklist for all applicable disciplines. Provide one copy of documentation that demonstrates compliance with the A/E’s QA/QC Plan.

9. 95% Review Schedule:

The 95% final design package shall include final detailed design. This shall be submitted 327 calendar days after Notice to Proceed (NTP).

(4) Conformed Construction Document Submission (100%): Upon completion of the final design of the project and the award of a construction contract, submit the following items prior to the start of construction work as Conformed Project Documents:

One set of original 100% Final Design Drawings to be submitted at 365 calendar days after Notice to Proceed (NTP).

(a) 3 Electronic Media (CD ROM) copies of the final project documents, with all project documents recorded on a single CD ROM and with all addenda information incorporated into the project drawings and specifications. Each copy shall contain the following:

· drawings on IBM compatible "AutoCAD" version 2010 and in Portable Document Format (pdf)

· the final specifications in Microsoft Word format

· the final specifications assembled into a single file in Portable Document Format (pdf)

· Construction Cost Estimate,

· Construction Duration Estimate,

· Phasing Requirements, and

· Narrative with Engineering Calculations, Safety Plan and Quality Control Plan,

· Equipment List

(b) 1 set of Original Reproducible Plans (Mylar with 6 mil thickness double matt polyester film sheets), with seal of the design professional on each sheet.

(c) 2 set of Original Reproducible Specifications.

B Delivery Media and Format for Final Documents

1. Format: CAD Drawings shall be prepared in accordance with VHA Program Guide 18-3, VHA National CAD Standard Application Guide. A copy of all data and files developed under this project shall be delivered to the Government in digital format. The data files should be provided on compact disk (CD ROM) in ISO 9660 format. A “Readme.txt” file must be included with the delivered digital media that includes normal transmittal information.

2. Label: The external label for each digital media shall contain the following information:

a. Contract Number and date

b. Format and version of operating system software, name and version of utility software used for preparation and copying files to media.

c. Sequence number of digital media

d. List of file names on the digital media

3. Quality Assurance/Quality Control: Before a file is placed on the delivery digital media the following shall be performed:

a. Remove all extraneous graphics outside of the border area and set the active parameters to a standard setting.

b. Check to ensure that all reference files are attached without device or directory specifications.

c. All digital files shall be delivered to the Government uncompressed.

d. Include all files both graphic and non-graphic required for the project (i.e., color tables, pen tables, font libraries, symbol libraries, user command files, plot configuration files, AML plot routines, etc.).

e. Make sure that all support files such as those listed above are in the same directory and that reference to those files do not include device or directory specifications.

f. Include any standard sheets (i.e., abbreviation sheets, standard symbol sheets, etc.) necessary for a complete project.

g. Document any fonts, tables, symbols, cells/blocks, line styles/types, details, reference drawings, etc., developed by the contractor, or not provided among the Government-furnished materials. The contractor shall obtain Government approval before using anything other than the Government standards.

h. Each finished CADD drawing, or map shall have its own separate plot file. The plot file for each finished drawing shall be provided to the Government in a specified plotter configuration.

4. Means of transferring electronic files to VA: to ensure VA sensitive information is secure, A/E shall use a secure access file exchange such as DoD SAFE ( https://safe.apps.mil ).

5. Ownership: All electronic files created and reimbursed for this project shall be the property of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

VII. CONSTRUCTION PERIOD SERVICE REQUIREMENTS:

A. Review of Submittals: A/E shall review all material submittals, shop drawings, test reports (as applicable), etc. Reviews shall be completed, and submittals returned to the VA Project Engineer within 17 to 21 days of the A/E's receipt of the submittal.

B. Review Analysis of Requests for Information (RFIs), Change Orders, and Costs: A/E shall provide a prompt response when contacted by the Contracting Officer to review and provide analysis of; change orders; and resulting cost adjustments due to omissions, errors, ambiguities, etc. A/E shall respond to construction contractor requests for information within 5 calendar days.

C. Pre-Construction Meeting: Participate and facilitate this meeting in conjunction with the Contracting Officer and COR, and staff from the Operations & Maintenance Department as needed.

D. Site Inspections: Designer shall meet every 2 weeks with the contractor, COR and others needed to inspect the progress of the construction and report any deficiencies to the same.

E. Monthly Progress Meetings: A monthly progress meeting shall be held in conjunction with one of the site inspections. The formal progress meetings shall be with the contractor, contracting officer, and COR. At these meetings the agenda shall contain a narrative of work completed the previous month, work upcoming, submittals or RFIs outstanding, schedule update, any special coordination items requiring actions, and discussion of change orders or time extension requests. Minutes of this meeting shall be issued within 3 working days of the meeting.

F. Project Close Out: Designer shall receive notice of intent for final inspection from the COR, and contractor shall propose a time and place for this to occur in conjunction with the Contracting Officer and the COR. Following the final inspection, the designer shall issue a punch list which contains plans noting the location of items. Contract documents shall specify that the contractor has 15 calendar days to complete the punch list and notify the designer for re-inspection. Following re-inspection and project acceptance the closeout phase will occur.

G. Commissioning: The Commissioning Agent’s building envelope specialist coordinates with the VA RE and VAMC Facilities Operations staff to fulfill a few the project’s objectives such as Review and comment on contractor’s documentation including (a) Operations and Maintenance Manuals; (b) manufacturers’ conformance records; (c) field test records; (d) record drawings; (e) exterior envelope preventive maintenance program; and (f) manufacturers and contractors’ H. Site Visits: A/E shall provide approximately 40 site visits (1 designer for 2 to 3 hours) during the construction period when requested by the Contracting Officer, in addition to the pre-bid conference, in-wall, above-the-ceiling, and final inspections. A site visit “unit” is defined as a visit to the site by one individual for any part of a day when requested by the Contracting Officer or VA COR. Multiple “units” when more than one individual or an extended period is needed to inspect an area of work. Only registered architects and engineers familiar with the project may make these site visits. The Contracting Officer has the prerogative to determine the professional discipline(s) required for each site visit. The A/E shall notify the Project Engineer of their presence on site to document the number of individuals making the site visit. The A/E shall observe the construction, advise the Project Engineer of any deviations or deficiencies, and recommend appropriate corrective actions.

I. "Record Drawings" Requirement: A/E shall revise the solicitation documents if necessary and provide a complete set of all drawings showing actual, completed construction, and reflecting any changes incorporated in the work on hard (bond) copy and on electronic media. Electronic media drawings shall be in AutoCAD 2016 and always electronically stamped. A/E shall load and demonstrate full AutoCAD compatibility and functionality at the VA site. Compatibility means that data can be accessed directly by the target system without translating or processing data files. Problems shall be corrected to the satisfaction of the VA. Final electronic media specifications shall be in Microsoft Word Format and Adobe Acrobat pdf files.

VIII. ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

A. A Pre-proposal Meeting of the A/E, the VA Contracting Officer, and the COR will be held before the A/E’s proposal is prepared. The Statement of Work and the existing conditions of the site proposed for work will be reviewed. At this time, the A/E will have the opportunity to review and obtain copies of As-Built Drawings and other VA materials necessary to prepare a proposal. Availability and accuracy of as-built drawings cannot be confirmed and shall be verified by the A/E.

B. Conduct project presentations of the progress reports at intervals for staff and management during each design submittal.

C. The A/E shall complete a Contractor Security Control Assessment (CSCA) within 30 days of award of contract approval plus annually after that on the pre-renewal date. Certification & Accreditation (C&A) requirements do not apply, and a Security Accreditation Package is not required.

D. After the award of the contract and issuance of the Notice to Proceed, the A/E will coordinate all site visits through the COR. A copy of the COR’s authorized duties and responsibilities will be provided with the Notice to proceed.

E. All A/E personnel, their sub-contractors, and representatives visiting VA sites will be required to sign in upon arrival and sign out upon leaving in a logbook, which physical location will be indicated. Each visiting individual will be required to enter their name, company name, VA project title, date, the reason for the visit, and arrival and departure times. Additionally, all persons must be badged.