s080072_short_solicitation_pkg.pdf

SOLICITATION FORMS

(FOR OFFEROR’S USE IN SUBMITTING OFFER)

NOTE: Attached forms must be completed and submitted intact.

Issuing Office:

U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service

Western Montana Acquisition Zone Building 24, Fort Missoula

Missoula, MT 59804

Solicitation No.

RFP AG-03R6-S-08-0072

Offers Are Solicited For:

Professional Architect and Engineering Services for

Forest Service, Region 1

**NOTICE TO OFFEROR**

1. Print or type your name and address, Solicitation No., Time and Date for receipt of offer in the UPPER left corner of the envelope containing your offer.

IMPORTANT - NOTICE TO OFFEROR

1. Information, Instructions and documents for submission of offers are contained in this short packet. It contains only Part I, Sections A and B, and Part IV, Sections K, L, and M. TO ASSURE THAT YOUR OFFER IS RESPONSIVE, ALL DOCUMENTS CONTAINED IN THIS PACKET SHOULD BE COMPLETED AND RETURNED INTACT AS YOUR OFFER. The Offeror’s Copy contains the complete solicitation and should be retained by the Offeror for reference.

2. Before mailing your offer, please recheck the following:

(a) Does your offer set forth full, accurate, and complete information as required by this solicitation including attachments and any amendments which may have been issued?

(b) Have you rechecked your figures, including calculations on your worksheets?

(c) If bid guarantee is required, is it enclosed in proper form and the amount including Power of Attorney?

(d) Have you completed and signed all required documents?

3. Faxed or emailed proposals will NOT be accepted.

4. Due date for receipt of proposals is July 21, 2008, at 4:00 p.m.

5. Standard Form 330 – Architect-Engineer Qualifications (Attachment B) must be completed and submitted as part of your proposal (see Clause L- 3).

FS-6300-44

AG-03R6-S-08-0072

Professional Architect and Engineering Services/Region 1

1. CONTRACT NO.

ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACT 2. DATE OF CONTRACT

3A. NAME OF ARCHITECT-ENGINEER 3B. TELEPHONE NO. (Include Area Code)

3C. ADDRESS OF ARCHITECT-ENGINEER (Include ZIP Code)

4. DEPARTMENT OR AGENCY AND ADDRESS (Include ZIP Code)

USDA, Forest Service, Western Montana Acquisition Zone, Building 24, Fort Missoula, Missoula, MT 59804

Response date set for receipt of proposals is July 21, 2008 at 4:00 p.m.

5. PROJECT TITLE AND LOCATION

Professional Architect and Engineering Services for Forest Service Region 1 – Geographic area includes Montana, Idaho, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Services will cover USDA units located within these areas that are occupied or managed by Region 1 of the Forest Service, Missoula Technology and Development Center (MTDC), and Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS).

6. CONTRACT FOR (General description of services to be provided)

Professional Architect and Engineering (A/E) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) for architectural and related services.

Services include Architecture, Civil, Structural, Mechanical, Electrical, Geotechnical, Landscape, and Environmental Professional Services for a base period and four additional 1-year option periods. Contract will be a Firm Fixed-Price.

7. CONTRACT AMOUNT (Express in words and figures)

A minimum guarantee of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per year with a maximum of one million dollars ($2 Million) over the life of the contract.

8. NEGOTIATION AUTHORITY

Public Law 92-582 (40 USC 541 et seq)

9. ADMINISTRATIVE, APPROPRIATION, AND ACCOUNTING DATA

Billing Address: Appropriation:

USDA, Forest Service Designated on Individual Orders Western Montana Acquisition Zonet Building 24, Fort Missoula Missoula, MT 59804

NSN 7540-01-152-8072

PREVIOUS EDITION NOT USABLE

252-102 STANDARD FORM 252 (REV. 10-83)

Prescribed by GSA FAR (48 CFR) 53.236-2(a)

10. The United States of America (called the Government) represented by the Contracting Officer executing this contract, and the Architect-Engineer agree to perform this contract in strict accordance with the clauses and the documents identified as follows, all of which are made a part of this contract:

PART I - THE SCHEDULE Page(s)

Section A - Solicitation/Contract Form, SF 252 1-2 Section B - Services and Prices/Costs 3 Section C - Description/Specifications/Statement of Work 4-10 Section D - Packaging and Marking 11 Section E - Inspection and Acceptance 12 Section F - Deliveries or Performance 13 Section G - Contract Administration Data 14-15 Section H - Special Contract Requirements 16-17

PART II - CONTRACT CLAUSES

Section I - Contract Clauses 18-26

PART III - LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS, AND OTHER ATTACHMENTS

Section J - List of Attachments 27

PART IV - REPRESENTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

Section K - Representations, Certifications, and Other Statements of Offerors or Respondents 28 Section L - Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Offerors or Respondents 29-32 Section M - Evaluation Factors for Award 33-34

PART IV - Representations and Instructions (Sections K, L, and M) will not be included in the awarded contract. This Part pertains only to preparation of offers and preaward.

NOTE: The term "Architect-Engineer" may be used in lieu of the term "Contractor", where it appears in the above documents.

If the parties to this contract are comprised of more than one legal entity, each entity shall be jointly and severally liable under this contract. The parties hereto have executed this contract as of the date recorded in Item 2.

SIGNATURES NAMES AND TITLES (Typed)

11. ARCHITECT-ENGINEER OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTOR

A

B

C

D

12. THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Contracting Officer

STANDARD FORM 252 BACK (REV. 10/83)

PART I - THE SCHEDULE

SECTION B - SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

B- 1 Schedule of Items

Once the technical evaluations have been completed, all offers will be ranked in order of preference.

Based on the outcome of this ranking, a Schedule of Items will be provided and prices requested only from the highest qualified firm(s).

B- 2 AGAR 452.216-73 Minimum and Maximum Contract Amounts (FEB 1988)

During the period specified in FAR clause 52.216-18, ORDERING, the Government shall place orders totaling a minimum of $10,000.00 per contract period, but not in excess of $2,000,000 for the life of the contract. If an option to extend the contract is not exercised by the Forest Service, the guaranteed minimum shall stop and the contract will be considered complete with no future guaranteed amount due that Contractor. If the Agency receives additional funds for future specifically designated programs and thereby the Forest Service funding levels significantly increase within the contract period, the Forest Service may increase the maximum not-to-exceed amount to a mutually negotiated maximum not-to-exceed amount.

B- 3 Ordering Authorization

Any USDA Forest Service Contracting Officer with an A/E Warrant is hereby authorized to issue task orders so long as the project area is within the Northern Region area. The Northern Region (Region 1), Missoula Technology and Development Center (MTDC) of the USDA Forest Service is located within Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. For the Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS) the ordering authorization is limited to those projects located in Idaho and Montana.

PART IV - REPRESENTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

SECTION K - REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS, AND OTHER STATEMENTS OF

OFFERORS OR RESPONDENTS

K- 1 FAR 52.204-8 Annual Representations and Certifications (JAN 2006)

(a) (1) The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is _541310_.

(2) The small business size standard is $4.5 Million.

(3) The small business size standard for a concern which submits an offer in its own name, other than on a construction or service contract, but which proposes to furnish a product which it did not itself manufacture, is 500 employees.

(b) (1) If the clause at 52.204-7, Central Contractor Registration, is included in this solicitation, paragraph (c) of this provision applies.

(2) If the clause at 52.204-7 is not included in this solicitation, and the offeror is currently registered in CCR, and has completed the ORCA electronically, the offeror may choose to use paragraph

(c) of this provision instead of completing the corresponding individual representations and certifications in the solicitation. The offeror shall indicate which option applies by checking one of the following boxes:

(i) Paragraph (c) applies.

(ii) Paragraph (c) does not apply and the offeror has completed the individual representations and certifications in the solicitation.

(c) The offeror has completed the annual representations and certifications electronically via the Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA) website at http://orca.bpn.gov. After reviewing the ORCA database information, the offeror verifies by submission of the offer that the representations and certifications currently posted electronically have been entered or updated within the last 12 months, are current, accurate, complete, and applicable to this solicitation (including the business size standard applicable to the NAICS code referenced for this solicitation), as of the date of this offer and are incorporated in this offer by reference (see FAR 4.1201); except for the changes identified below [offeror to insert changes, identifying change by clause number, title, date]. These amended representation(s) and/or certification(s) are also incorporated in this offer and are current, accurate, and complete as of the date of this offer.

FAR Clause # Title Date Change

Any changes provided by the offeror are applicable to this solicitation only, and do not result in an update to the representations and certifications posted on ORCA.

SECTION L - INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS, AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS OR

RESPONDENTS

L- 1 FAR 52.252-1 Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference (FEB 1998)

This solicitation incorporates one or more solicitation provisions by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. The offeror is cautioned that the listed provisions may include blocks that must be completed by the offeror and submitted with its quotation or offer. In lieu of submitting the full text of those provisions, the offeror may identify the provision by paragraph identifier and provide the appropriate information with its quotation or offer. Also, the full text of a solicitation provision may be accessed electronically at this/these address(es): www.arnet.gov/far/ and the Agriculture Acquisition Regulations may be accessed at www.usda.gov/procurement/policy/agar.html.

FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATIONS (48 CFR CHAPTER 1)

52.215-1 Instructions to Offerors—Competitive Acquisition Alt I (OCT 1997)

L- 2 AGAR 452.204-70 Inquiries (FEB 1988)

Inquiries and all correspondence concerning this solicitation should be submitted in writing to the Contracting Officer. Offerors should contact only the Contracting Officer issuing the solicitation about any aspect of this requirement prior to contract award.

L- 3 AGAR 452.215-71 Instructions for the Preparation of Technical and Business Proposals

(SEP 1999)

(a) General Instructions. Proposals submitted in response to this solicitation shall be furnished in the following format with the numbers of copies as specified below.

(1) The proposal must include a technical and business proposal. Each of the parts shall be separate and complete so that evaluation of one may be accomplished independently from evaluation of the other.

The technical proposal must not contain reference to cost; however, resource information (such as data concerning labor hours and categories, materials, subcontracts, etc.) must be contained in the technical proposal so that the contractor's understanding of the statement of work may be evaluated.

(2) Offerors may, at their discretion, submit alternate proposals or proposals which deviate from the requirement; provided, that an offeror also submit a proposal for performance of the work as specified in the statement of work. Any "alternate" proposal may be considered if overall performance would be improved or not compromised, and if it is in the best interest of the Government. Alternate proposals, or deviations from any requirement of this RFP, must be clearly identified.

(3) The Government will evaluate proposals in accordance with the evaluation criteria set forth in Section M of this RFP.

(4) Offerors shall submit their proposal(s) in the following format and the quantities specified:

http://www.arnet.gov/far/ http://www.usda.gov/procurement/policy/agar.html

(i) 1 copy of the completed, signed offer (Sections A through K of the solicitation package).

(ii) 3 copies of the technical proposal.

(iii) 1 copy of the business/cost proposal.

(b) Technical Proposal Instructions. The technical proposal will be used to make an evaluation and arrive at a determination as to whether the proposal will meet the requirements of the Government. Therefore, the technical proposal must present sufficient information to reflect a thorough understanding of the requirements and a detailed, description of the techniques, procedures and program for achieving the objectives of the specifications/statement of work. Proposals which merely paraphrase the requirements of the Government's specifications/statement of work, or use such phrases as "will comply" or "standard techniques will be employed" will be considered unacceptable and will not be considered further. As a minimum, the proposal must clearly provide the following:

The following is added:

1. Past Performance:

The offeror shall provide specific information of recent relevant contracts which support past and present performance in the past 3 years or provide three references who can confirm your past performance. Firms lacking past performance will receive a neutral rating. For each relevant contract or reference, the offeror is requested to provide:

• Agency/company and contact information (phone number or email address)

• Period of Performance – include contract duration and completion date

• Dollar value of contract

• Contract number and type (i.e. design, design-build, construction management)

• A description of the project

• A description any problems encountered and the efforts made to correct and prevent future occurrences.

Past Performance will be evaluated on quality of design project, customer satisfaction, and timeliness of performance.

2. Specialized Experience:

Offeror shall provide specific information on completed projects which are similar in nature to Forest Service facilities described in this solicitation.

3. Capacity to Perform Work:

The Offeror shall provide specific information supporting that they, including subcontractors, will have the capacity to perform multiple task orders in addition to existing work load. Multiple task orders, up to the maximum allowable under the contract may be placed at one time.

4. SF-330:

The offeror shall submit a completed SF-330 provided in Attachment B. Information provided in this document will be used to evaluate experience of proposed team including key personnel and subcontractors; and general qualifications.

5. Location of proposed team, knowledge of the area and types of Forest Service worksites, and familiarity with historical facilities:

The offeror shall demonstrate proposed team is located near, or can readily meet with Forest Service personnel in Missoula, Montana; knowledge of areas the work may be performed; and familiar with the assorted worksites the Forest Service may require services including administrative sites, research centers, work centers, training facilities (classrooms, training apparatus for fire fighters, IT training, etc), bunkhouses, and historical buildings.

(c) Business Proposal Instructions.

6. Price: (See Clause M- 1, paragraph (c) Evaluation and Award Statement. Price will be requested from the most highly qualified firm(s).

The offeror shall provide loaded labor rates including subcontracting fees for the line items listed in Section B. Fully loaded rates shall include wages, overhead, general, administrative expenses, and profit.

Professional Compensation Plan as required in FAR 52.222-46. Offeror shall provide salaries and fringe benefits proposed for any professional employee that will work on projects for this contract.

Documentation shall include recognized national or regional compensation survey or study used in establishing the compensation structure; and policy or procedure for compensating professional employees.

L- 4 AGAR 452.215-72 Amendments to Proposals (FEB 1988)

Any changes to a proposal made by the offeror after its initial submittal shall be accomplished by replacement pages. Changes from the original page shall be indicated on the outside margin by vertical lines adjacent to the change. The offeror shall include the date of the amendment on the lower right corner of the changed pages.

L- 5 FAR 52.216-1 Type of Contract (APR 1984)

The Government contemplates award of a Firm Fixed Price contract resulting from this solicitation.

L- 6 FAR 52.222-46 Evaluation of Compensation for Professional Employees (FEB 1993)

(a) Re-competition of service contracts may in some cases result in lowering the compensation (salaries and fringe benefits) paid or furnished professional employees. This lowering can be detrimental in obtaining the quality of professional services needed for adequate contract performance. It is therefore in the Government’s best interest that professional employees, as defined in 29 CFR 541, be properly and fairly compensated. As part of their proposals, offeror will submit a total compensation plan setting forth salaries and fringe benefits proposed for the professional employees who will work under the contract.

The Government will evaluate the plan to assure that it reflects a sound management approach and understanding of the contract requirements. This evaluation will include an assessment of the offeror ability to provide uninterrupted high-quality work. The professional compensation proposed will be considered in terms of its impact upon recruiting and retention, its realism, and its consistency with a total plan for compensation. Supporting information will include data, such as recognized national and regional compensation surveys and studies of professional, public and private organizations, used in establishing the total compensation structure.

(b) The compensation levels proposed should reflect a clear understanding of work to be performed and should indicate the capability of the proposed compensation structure to obtain and keep suitably qualified personnel to meet mission objectives. The salary rates or ranges must take into account differences in skills, the complexity of various disciplines, and professional job difficulty. Additionally, proposals envisioning compensation levels lower than those of predecessor contractors for the same work will be evaluated on the basis of maintaining program continuity, uninterrupted high-quality work, and availability of required competent professional service employees. Offerors are cautioned that lowered compensation for essentially the same professional work may indicate lack of sound management judgment and lack of understanding of the requirement.

(c) The Government is concerned with the quality and stability of the work force to be employed on this contract. Professional compensation that is unrealistically low or not in reasonable relationship to the various job categories, since it may impair the Contractor’s ability to attract and retain competent professional service employees, may be viewed as evidence of failure to comprehend the complexity of the contract requirements.

(d) Failure to comply with these provisions may constitute sufficient cause to justify rejection of a proposal.

L- 7 FAR 52.233-2 Service of Protest (SEPT 2006)

(a) Protests, as defined in section 33.101 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, that are filed directly with an agency, and copies of any protests that are filed with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), shall be served on the Contracting Officer (addressed as follows) by obtaining written and dated acknowledgment of receipt from the Contracting Officer, Western Montana Acquisition Zone, Building 24, Fort Missoula, Missoula, MT 59804.

(b) The copy of any protest shall be received in the office designated above within one day of filing a protest with the GAO.

SECTION M - EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

M- 1 Evaluation Criteria

All evaluation factors other than cost or price, when combined, are approximately equal to cost or price.

(a) Technical Proposal. The technical proposals will be evaluated and ranked on the basis of the following criteria which are of equal value in the evaluation process.

1. Past Performance:

The offeror shall provide specific information of recent relevant contracts which support past and present performance in the past 3 years or provide three references who can confirm your past performance. Firms lacking past performance will receive a neutral rating.

2. Specialized Experience:

Offeror shall provide specific information on completed projects which are similar in nature to Forest Service facilities described in this solicitation.

3. Capacity to Perform Work:

The Offeror shall provide specific information supporting that they, including subcontractors, will have the capacity to perform multiple task orders in addition to existing work load. Multiple task orders, up the maximum allowable under the contract may be placed at one time.

Numbering?

4. SF-330:

The offeror shall submit a completed SF-330 provided in Attachment B. Information provided in this document will be used to evaluate experience of proposed team including key personnel and subcontractors; and general qualifications.

5. Location of proposed team, knowledge of the area and types of Forest Service worksites, and familiarity with historical facilities:

The offeror shall demonstrate proposed team is located near, or can readily meet with Forest Service personnel in Missoula, Montana; and knowledge of areas the work may be performed;

familiar with the assorted worksites the Forest Service may require services including administrative sites, research centers, work centers, training facilities (classrooms, training apparatus for fire fighters, IT training, etc), bunkhouses, and historical buildings.

(b) Business Proposal

6. Price:

The offeror shall provide loaded labor rates including subcontracting fees for the line items listed in Section B. Fully loaded rates shall include wages, overhead, general, administrative expenses, and profit.

Professional Compensation Plan as required in FAR 52.222-46. Offeror shall provide salaries and fringe benefits proposed for any professional employee that will work on projects for this contract.

Documentation shall include recognized national or regional compensation survey or study used in establishing the compensation structure; and policy or procedure for compensating professional employees.

(c) Evaluation and Award Statement. Past Performance and the Technical Proposals will be evaluated.

Technical discussions will be held with at least three of the most highly qualified firms. A selection report indicating the recommendations of the evaluation board will be prepared for review by the Selection Authority. Upon review and approval of the selection report, the Contracting Officer will request prices from the most highly qualified firm(s). An evaluation will be made to determine if prices offered are fair and reasonable or require price negotiations to be conducted. In the event a fair and reasonable price cannot be reached with the most highly qualified firm(s), the Contracting Officer may enter into negotiations with another firm on the selection report.

Award will be made to one or more highly qualified firms for which a fair and reasonable price is agreed

to. The Government reserves the right to make cost/technical trade-offs that are in the best interest and advantageous to the Government. The critical factor in making any cost/technical trade-off is not the difference between the technical evaluations but the significance of the difference. The significance of the difference between the technical evaluations will be determined on the basis of what the difference might mean in terms of performance and what it would cost the Government to take advantage of that difference.

The Government may reject any or all offers if such action is determined to be in the best interest of the Government.

M- 2 FAR 52.217-5 Evaluation of Options (JULY 1990)

Except when it is determined in accordance with FAR 17.206(b) not to be in the Government’s best interests, the Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. Evaluation of options will not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s).