36C77625R0009-1_1 modified SF330 request.docx

Modification to a Previous Notice Modification to a Previous Notice

GENERAL INFORMATION

BASE NOTICE TYPE

Program Contracting Activity Central

6100 Oak Tree Blvd, Suite 490 Independence OH 44131

POINT OF CONTACT*

kaylan.grove@va.gov Andrea.Fink@va.gov

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

ADDRESS

POSTAL CODE

COUNTRY

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AGENCY’S URL

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AGENCY CONTACT’S EMAIL ADDRESS

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DESCRIPTION

EHRM Infrastructure Upgrades Design – Menlo Park The purpose of this modification is:

1. Publish answers to Contractor SF330 Questions

1. Revise submission criteria and provide new CO information

1. Provide a tailored Past Performance Questionnaire

1. Provide a revised SOW with corrected ECC

1. Extend the due date for submission of SF330s to 1:00 PM ET on November 22, 2024.

Contractor SF330 Questions and Answers

1. With our experience on multiple EHRM projects, we feel that we are highly qualified for this project. However, we feel the requirement for projects to be 100% construction complete limits our ability to showcase our specialized expertise. Considering the EHRM Program is still fairly new and the majority of EHRM projects are not yet complete with construction, would the VA consider removing the requirement for projects to be construction complete?

RESPONSE: Requirement is revised as follows:

“Recent” is defined as AE services provided on projects that have ended (construction complete, or construction was N/A) within the past ten (10) years or construction is in process, ongoing, on hold or waiting to proceed.

1. For projects where design is complete, but we are waiting for construction to start, is it appropriate to consider these as ‘Construction N/A’ for inclusion in Section F?

RESPONSE: See item 1 response.

1. For the Professional Qualifications requirement to include documentation that demonstrates we’ve discussed this opportunity with each subcontractor, and they’ve agreed to submitting a Part II, will the inclusion of their signed Part II cover this requirement? If not, can the VA please clarify what documentation in particular they want to see here?

RESPONSE: Signed Part II or signed statements are acceptable.

1. In the selection criteria, you state the following: Include documentation that demonstrates your firm has discussed this opportunity with each subcontractor and agreed to a Part II being submitted as a proposed subcontractor. Can you provide clarity on how the offerors can meet this requirement. Are you looking for signed teaming agreements with each sub, or a statement stating the project has been discussed with each sub and a Part 2 provided. If a signed teaming agreement is required, will this count in the page limitation?

Response: See Question 3 response.

1. The solicitation states the following for Section F projects, “Recent” is defined as AE services provided on projects that have ended (construction is complete, or construction was N/A) within the past ten (10) years." We are not aware of any PCAC EHRM projects that are completed with construction and would be applicable to include in Section F. I feel it would be beneficial to include current EHRM projects to show the selection committee the offerer's capabilities on these exact types of projects. I would request to amend this definition of recent to be projects where the design is completed.

RESPONSE: See Question 1 response.

1. The solicitation notice specifies that projects should be recent and relevant – and defines Recent as “projects that have ended (construction is complete or construction was N/A) within the past ten years.” Given that the VA EHRM program is relatively new and recognizing the extended timelines inherent in federal construction contracts, would the government consider modifying this requirement to include projects that are design complete with substantial construction completion – (at least 75% construction complete)? This adjustment would allow firms to showcase recent projects that reflect the most relevant experience and technical competence within the VA EHRM program.

RESPONSE: See Question 1 response.

1. Page 3 of the solicitation notes “Recent” is defined as AE services provided on projects that have ended (construction is complete, or construction was N/A) within the past ten (10) years.” This construction requirement presents a very limiting restriction given the young age of the EHRM program and will prohibit many firms from being able to submit any of their EHRM project experience. We request that VA revises this requirement and accepts projects that are in construction as this would still provide initial bid price information.

RESPONSE: See Question 1 response.

1. Page 4 askes the firm to provide a detailed narrative describing "Dates of completion of A, B, and C services." Please confirm to which services A,B and C refer.

RESPONSE: Requirement is revised as follows:

iii. Dates for completion of professional services (such as planning, engineering, study, design or surveying), and/or date of construction completion or scheduled completion.

THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR STANDARD FORM (SF) 330 ARCHITECT-ENGINEER QUALIFICATIONS PACKAGES ONLY. ALL INFORMATION NEEDED TO SUBMIT SF 330 DOCUMENTS IS CONTAINED HEREIN. NO SOLICITATION PACKAGE, TECHNICAL INFORMATION, OR BIDDER/PLAN HOLDER LIST WILL BE ISSUED. THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOT PAY, NOR REIMBURSE, ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH RESPONDING TO THIS REQUEST. THE GOVERNMENT IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO AWARD A CONTRACT AS A RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Program Contracting Activity Central (PCAC) is seeking sources and intends to award a firm fixed price design contract for Architect-Engineering (A-E) services for the development of complete construction documents, which include working drawings, specifications, and reports, and construction period services for Project #640A0-25-700 EHRM Infrastructure Upgrades at the VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, Menlo Park, CA. The A-E Services contract that is anticipated to be awarded will be procured in accordance with the Selection of Architects and Engineers statute [formerly known as the Brooks Architect Engineer Act], Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 36.6 “Architectural and Engineering Services,” VA Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) 836.6, and VA Acquisition Manual (VAAM) M836.6 Architect-Engineer Services. In accordance with FAR 36.209, “Construction Contracts with Architect-Engineer Firms,” no contract for the construction of a project shall be awarded to the firm that designed the project or its subsidiaries or affiliates, except with the approval of the head of the agency or authorized representative.

2. PROJECT INFORMATION

This project is a 100% set-aside for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) concerns. The NAICS code for this procurement is 541330 “Engineering Services” and the annual small business size standard is $25.5M. A full design team is required to complete this project. The VA expects to award the anticipated A-E contract in February 2025.

The anticipated period of performance for completion of design is 322 calendar days after notice of award (NOA). The VAAR magnitude of construction is between $20,000,000 and $50,000,000. Please note that the 322-calendar-day period of performance for the design completion begins with the issuance of the NOA and that a notice to proceed (NTP) will not be issued for the completion of a design project.

3. A-E SELECTION PROCESS

Firms submitting SF 330s in response to this announcement, not later than the closing date and time specified herein and in accordance with submission requirements, will be considered for evaluation. The selection will be made as follows:

· SF 330s will be evaluated in accordance with the primary selection criteria as stated in this pre-solicitation notice. These evaluations will determine the most highly qualified firms for this particular requirement. In accordance with FAR 36.602-3(c), at least three of the most highly qualified firms will then be notified of the Government’s intent to hold discussions. All firms not invited to participate in discussions will be notified at this time. In accordance with FAR 36.607(b), any requested debriefings of successful and unsuccessful firms will be held after final selection has taken place and will be conducted, to the extent practicable, in accordance with 15.503, 15.506(b) through (f), and 15.507(c). Note that 15.506(d)(2) through (d)(5) do not apply to architect-engineer contracts.

· Discussions will be held with the most highly qualified firms in the form of written responses. The firms invited to participate in discussions will be notified by email and provided further instructions, including any questions or topics to address. Following the completion of discussions, the firms will be evaluated and ranked based on the primary and (if necessary) secondary selection criteria. The final evaluation and ranking will consider the SF 330 submission for each firm, as well as additional information obtained via discussions. The highest rated firm will be selected to receive the solicitation and engage in negotiations.

· The solicitation will be issued to the highest rated firm as a Request for Fee Proposal (RFP). All SOW attachments and site-specific documentation will be provided to the highest rated firm with the RFP. A site visit will be authorized during the negotiation process. An award will then be made as long as the negotiation of rates and hours leads to a fair and reasonable determination of the final contract price. If negotiations with the highest rated firm are unsuccessful, the firm will be notified that negotiations have been terminated. Negotiations will then be initiated with the next highest rated firm, and so on until award can be made.

4. SELECTION CRITERIA:

Firms responding to this notice will be evaluated and ranked using the primary and secondary selection criteria listed below. The factors are listed in descending order of importance. The evaluation will consider how each factor is addressed and how it is formatted to coincide with the selection criteria.

Primary Selection Criteria (listed in descending order of importance):

1. Specialized Experience and technical competence (sections F, G, and H):

There are two parts to this factor – submitting projects in Section F that demonstrate required experience, and providing Section H narratives as stated below. Both parts must be in the SF 330 submission in order to receive at least an Acceptable rating.

PART I:

The projects should demonstrate specialized experience and technical competence in design and construction period services provided for network infrastructure installation, renovations, or upgrades. Projects experience should include upgrading large scale (multi-building with multiple generational OIT systems) fiber optics, data cable, structured cabling, electrical distribution design, electrical upgrades, uninterruptable power systems (UPS), electrical bonding, building management systems/building automation systems (BMS/BAS), HVAC, IT room renovations/expansion/relocations, Data Centers/Server Rooms reconfiguration, and physical security upgrades, duct bank and direct boring operations. Other specialized experience to provide should include experience in critical path scheduling, fire protection, construction infection control protocols. Computer-aided design and drafting/building information modeling, equipment resources, and laboratory requirements will be evaluated. Energy conservation, pollution prevention, waste reduction, and the use of recovered materials will be evaluated where appropriate.

Submissions in Section F shall include no more and no less than five (5) recent and relevant Government and private experience projects similar in size scope and complexity, and experience with the type of projects/competence above. “Relevant” is defined as those task requirements identified in the attached Statement of Work and this notice. “Recent” is defined as AE services provided on projects that have ended (construction is complete, or construction was N/A) within the past ten (10) years. Each project shall include the following:

a) Project title and location (City and State)

b) Awarded contract number associated with the project

c) Years Completed –

i. Professional Services start and end dates

ii. Construction start and end dates

d) Project Owner, owner’s point of contact including telephone number and email address.

e) Detailed narrative describing:

i. The scope of services provided including the type of work performed by the offeror

ii. Its role in the project i.e. prime contract, teaming partner or subcontractor. The firm completing the project as prime must match the past performance firm name. If a partner to a JV completed the project, do not put the JV firm name down as completing the work.

iii. Dates for completion of A, B, and C services.

iv. State if CPS was done on the project.

v. Services & Deliverables provided under the contract/task order

vi. Awarded AE fee contract value, including options

vii. AE Cost Estimate vs. Actual Construction Cost

The narrative shall describe actions taken that demonstrate the required experience. Merely making a list of relevant areas from the VA requirements list on the side of the Section F project is not demonstrating in narrative form actions taken on a project.

Note: Awards to overseas offices for projects outside the United States, its territories and possessions, and awards to a subsidiary if the subsidiary is not normally subject to management decisions, bookkeeping, and policies of a holding or parent company or an incorporated subsidiary that operates under a firm name different from the parent company, will not be considered under this factor.

PART II:

The offeror shall include narratives addressing the following topics in Section H. Simply re-stating this list in Section H will not be sufficient. The narrative of how the firm addresses each of these will be evaluated.

a) The management approach, including flow of communication and roles/responsibilities. This is not the organization chart in D.

b) The coordination of disciplines and subcontractors, including flow of communication and hiring practices

c) Design quality management/control procedures, and

d) Familiarity with VA Design Guides/Manuals, Master Specifications and other applicable standards.

2. Professional Qualifications (Sections C-E, G, H): necessary for satisfactory performance of required service. The A-E shall demonstrate they are able to sign and stamp each drawing by individuals licensed in any state in the United States for the key positions listed below. Provide Professional License numbers and/or proof of Licensure. The evaluation shall consider the specific experience (minimum of five years) and qualifications (i.e., education, training, registration, certifications, overall relevant experience, and longevity with the firm as full-time employees) of personnel proposed for assignment to the project, and their record of working together as a team when evaluating professional qualifications. The lead designer in each discipline must be registered but does not have to be registered in the particular state where the project is located.

A resume for each of these key positions must be provided via Section E in the SF330. At least one resume must be submitted for each of the positions below with the “Role in this Contract” box filled with a title matching this list. The resume shall state the role the specific individual filled on each project listed, and not a generic overview of the project. Each project must also state if the individual worked on the design or construction period services, or both.

Key positions and disciplines required for this project include, but are not limited to:

a) Architect (LEED certification/US Green Build Council certification)

b) Registered Communications Distribution Designer (RCDD)

c) Cost Estimator

d) Civil Engineer

e) Electrical Engineer

f) Environmental Engineer

g) Certified Fire Protection Engineer

h) Certified Industrial Hygienist

i) Mechanical Engineer

j) Plumbing Engineer

k) Project Manager

l) Quality Assurance Manager

m) Structural Engineer

n) Physical Security Specialists [must hold the Certified Protection Professional (CPP) or Physical Security Professional (PSP) Certification issued by ASIS International

o) Commissioning Agent

Section G will used to evaluate the prior experience of the prime firm and any key subcontractors working together on the provided relevant projects.

Include documentation that demonstrates your firm has discussed this opportunity with each subcontractor and agreed to a Part II being submitted as a proposed subcontractor.

Offer must include the following signed statement of SDVOSB compliance in Section H when submitting the personnel proposed to perform the work under this requirement:

“I ____[signatory authority name] __________, of _____[company name] ______, certify that the SDVOSB prime contractor will not pay more than 50% of the amount paid by the government to the prime for contract performance to firms that are not certified SDVOSBs by the Small Business Association’s Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) in compliance of VA Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) 852.219-75.”

Signature: _______________________________”

The information provided in sections C-E, G, and H of SF 330 will be used to evaluate this evaluation factor.

3. Capacity (section H): The evaluation will consider the firm’s ability to meet the schedule of the overall project, as well as the available capacity of key disciplines to perform the work in the required time. Provide the available capacity of key disciplines by providing current project workload, inclusive of all projects awarded by the VA, any federal agency, and private sector, during the previous twelve (12) months. Include the full potential value of any current indefinite delivery contracts the Prime firm has been awarded from any source. Offeror shall clearly state their available capacity presenting workload percentages for the key disciplines and/or team members. Also, the offeror must provide the completion percentages and expected completion date for the VA projects awarded in the previous twelve (12) months. The information for this factor shall be provided in Section H of the SF 330. Please ensure the capacity applies toward the team/personnel provided in the SF 330.

4. Past performance (section H): Past performance will be evaluated on contracts with Government agencies and private industry in terms of cost control, quality of work, and compliance with performance schedules.

Past performance will be evaluated for all projects provided in Section F. You are required to provide the documented past performance evaluation on each project in Section F with a matching contract/task order number as part of the SF 330 PDF submission. Past performance may be submitted from Contractor Performance Assessment Rating System (CPARS) database or a Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ) if there is not a CPARS available. The firm listed on the past performance must match the firm listed as Prime on the Section F project.

If the firm (prime or subcontractor) was not the prime contractor on any project submitted in the SF330, a PPQ must be submitted listing their specific role (key disciplines) as a subcontractor. The PPQ should be rated and signed by the evaluator. In the event that a firm does not receive a requested complete PPQ from an evaluator prior to the time for submission, the firm shall submit the partially completed PPQ with Section 1 and the Evaluator Information in Section 2 completed, and proof that the request for the PPQ was made. Ensure a POC is listed with the project title and contract number. The VA will make reasonable attempts to contact the POC upon submission for PPQ completion.

The Government may consider additional performance related information regarding the firm, to include customer inquiries, Government databases, publicly available sources, and additional projects in CPARS. The Government will evaluate the past performance of a joint venture; if none exists, the past performance of each partner will be evaluated. The Government reserves the right to contact any POC listed on a CPARS report or PPQ. If appropriate, the record of significant claims against the firm because of improper or incomplete architectural and engineering services may be evaluated.

Failure to provide requested data, accessible points of contact, contract numbers, or valid phone numbers will result in a firm being considered less qualified. The information for this factor shall be provided in Section H of the SF 330.

For PPQs, please utilize the attached PPQ document. Completed PPQs should be incorporated into the SF 330 directly. PPQs should not be submitted to the VHA PCAC directly. Any PPQs will not be counted towards the page limitations for this submission. However, any narratives provided for past performance in Section H will be counted toward the page limit.

5. Knowledge of Locality (section H): Knowledge of the locality, to include specific knowledge of certain local conditions or project site features, such as geological features, climatic conditions, working with and local construction methods or local laws and regulations.

This is a narrative to understand what experience the firm has in the project area. Please do not only submit a map demonstrating office locations of prime and subcontractors as this is not a narrative and does not meet the intent of this factor. The information for this factor shall be provided in Section H of the SF 330.

Note that the intent of this factor is to showcase a firm’s understanding of the site and locality, and NOT where the firm is located, how far away the firm/branch office is from the site, and how they would travel to the site. Information related to the firm’s location shall instead be provided in Section H under Secondary Selection Criterion Factor 1, Geographic Location. See below.

6. Experience in construction period services (section H): Experience in construction period services must be demonstrated via project experience. These may be the same projects identified above in Factor 1; however, the firm shall clearly delineate the types of construction period services performed for each. Refer to the Statement of Work for review timeline expectations. The firm shall provide a detailed description of projects worked that illustrate experience in these areas. Projects must be within the last ten (10) years.

Project descriptions must include experience with:

a) Solicitation support services,

b) Professional field inspections during the construction period

c) Coordination with commissioning requirements

d) Review of construction submittals

e) Support in answering requests for information during the construction period

f) Support of construction contract changes to include drafting statements of work and cost estimates

g) Attendance at weekly conference calls

h) Providing minutes of meetings between the AE, VA, and contractors

i) Pre-final inspection site visits

j) Generation of punch-list reports, and

k) Production of as-built documentation.

In addition, the firm must include a description of experience addressing unforeseen conditions and emergent situations, conducting situation evaluations and make midcourse corrections. Include description on how the firm can be proactive or responsive in these situations, and what the process is to resolve issues.

The information for this factor shall be provided in Section H of the SF 330.

Secondary Selection Criterion*:

Geographic location. Location of the firm, as measured by the driving distance (miles) between the Offeror’s principal business location and the VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, Menlo Park Division Campus, 795 Willow Rd, Menlo Park, CA 94025. Determination of the mileage will be based on Google Maps (https://www.google.com/maps/dir/).

* The secondary selection criterion is used as a tiebreaker, if necessary, in ranking the most highly qualified firms following the completion of discussions. The secondary selection criterion will not be applied when determining a firm’s SF 330 submission.

5. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

The below information contains the instructions and format that must be followed for the submission of the SF 330 Statement of Qualifications:

· Submit ONE (1) SF 330 Statement of Qualifications to Contract Specialist Kaylan Grove at Kaylan.Grove@va.gov and Contract Officer Andrea Fink at Andrea.Fink@va.gov. This must include Parts I and II and any applicable attachments.

· The submission must include the SF 330, Architect-Engineer Qualifications (form is available online at https://www.gsa.gov/reference/forms/architectengineer-qualifications ).

· The SF 330 submission is due by 1:00 PM ET on November 22, 2024.

· The SF 330 must be submitted in one email and have a file size no larger than 5 MB. No hard copies will be accepted.

· The subject line of the email must read: “SF 330 Submission - 36C77625R0009 EHRM Infrastructure Upgrades – Menlo Park.”

· The SF 330 submission must not exceed a total of 50 pages. This includes title page, table of contents, and any other relevant information. Any pages submitted by an offeror that exceed the limit will not be considered during the evaluation. Each page must be in Arial size 12 font, single spaced. Part II of the SF 330 and any CPARs or PPQs will NOT count toward the page limitation.

· A PPQ obtained for another SF 330 submission may be submitted for this project. However, if significant portions of the project have been completed since the PPQ was filled out, a new PPQ should be submitted to accurately assess the project.

· Firms must include the following information in section B of the SF 330 submission:

· All questions must be submitted to Kaylan.Grove@va.gov and Andrea.Fink@va.gov with the subject line “SF 330 Questions - 36C77625R0009 EHRM Infrastructure Upgrades – Menlo Park” The cutoff for question submission is 1:00 PM ET on November 12nd, 2024. Questions will be answered through modification to the pre-sol notice posted to Contract Opportunities at SAM.gov.

· This procurement is a 100% set-aside for SDVOSB concerns. Offers received from other than SDVOSBs will not be considered. Offerors must be certified as SDVOSBs by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and visible in the Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) database (https://veterans.certify.sba.gov/) at the time of SF 330 submission, written response submission, and award. Failure to be certified in the VetCert database at these times will result in the offeror being deemed ineligible for award.

· All joint ventures must be SBA certified at the time of SF 330 submission, written response submission, and award and must submit agreements that comply with 13 CFR 128.402 prior to contract award.

· All prime firms must meet the NAICS code requirement specified in this notice. The Contracting Officer will verify the NAICS code in VetCert. Failure to meet the NAICS code requirement may result in the rejection of the SF 330 submission.

· SF 330 submissions received after the date and time specified will not be considered. Late proposal rules per FAR 15.208 will be followed for late submittals. Firms not providing the required information may not be evaluated. All information must be included in the SF 330 submission package.

· It is the offeror’s responsibility to check the Contract Opportunities website at SAM.gov for any revisions to this announcement prior to submitting their SF 330.

See attached document: Attachment - Past Performance Questionnaire.

See attached document: SOW AE Design - EHRM Infrastructure Upgrades 20240826.

End of Document

Modification to a Previous Notice