HR001126RE008 DARPA MODERNIZATION PROJECT PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT 2026SEPT21.pdf

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT HR001126RE008

For

DARPA MODERNIZATION PROJECT

This announcement constitutes a public notice of intent to contract for Architect-Engineer (A&E) Services in accordance with RFO FAR Part 5 and Part 36, and DFARS Subpart 236.6. This is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) or an Invitation for Bids (IFB). Neither cost proposals nor price quotations are requested or will be accepted at this stage. Contract award will be made using qualification-based selection procedures established under the Brooks Act (40 U.S.C. Chapter 11) and FAR Subpart 36.6.

NO CLASSIFIED INFORMATION SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN RESPONSES TO THIS NOTICE.

SUBJECT: Public Notice of Intent to Contract for Architect and Engineering Services

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

a. Notice Type: Public Announcement/Synopsis for Architect-Engineer (A&E) Contract

b. Solicitation Number: HR001126RE008

c. Response / Submission Closing Date: October 5, 2026, at 10:00 AM Eastern Time (ET)

d. NAICS Code: 541310 – Architectural Services (Small Business Size Standard: $12.5 Million)

e. Contract Type: The Government anticipates the award of a single Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) contract.

f. Period of Performance: The anticipated period of performance consists of a sixteen (16) month base period commencing in Quarter 1 of Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27).

g. Small Business Set-Aside Determination. This is a notice that this Contract is a total small business set-aside. Only submissions by small businesses under the NAICS Code listed above will be accepted by the Government. Any submissions provided by a Contractor that is not a small business will not be considered for award.

h. Phased Selection & Phase II Solicitation Release. This procurement is conducted using a two-phase selection procedure:

i. Phase I (Qualifications Evaluation): All interested firms must submit Standard Form 330 (SF 330) qualifications packages in accordance with this announcement.

ii. Phase II (Discussions & Formal Solicitation): Following the evaluation of SF 330 packages, only the most highly qualified will receive the Phase II Request for Proposal / Solicitation package.

iii. Public Posting Notice: The Phase II solicitation will NOT be posted to SAM.gov because participation in Phase II is restricted solely to the firms determined to be the most highly qualified by the Architect-Engineer Evaluation Board, pursuant to 40 U.S.C. Chapter 11 and

FAR 36.602-3.

i. Statutory Authority: The Brooks Architect-Engineers Act (40 U.S.C. §§ 1101–1104); Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 36.6; Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) Subpart 236.6

j. Point of Contact: Dr. Alexis Shellow, DMP@Darpa.mil

4. SELECTION CRITERIA. Firms submitting qualifications will be evaluated by an appointed DARPA Architect-Engineer Evaluation Board using the criteria listed below. The criteria are listed in descending order of importance:

a. Criterion 1: Professional Qualifications. The Board will evaluate the education, professional registration/licensure, certifications, tenure, and relevant experience of key personnel assigned to this effort.

b. Criterion 2: Specialized Experience and Technical Competence. Evaluation will focus on the firm’s and proposed team’s direct experience within the past five (5) years in:

i. Designing museum-grade, high-traffic exhibition and executive lobby spaces incorporating advanced interactive media, static physical artifacts, custom vitrines, and museum lighting systems.

ii. Integrating advanced architectural features within operational Government or corporate secure headquarters without disrupting ongoing core mission activities.

iii. Demonstrating excellence in aesthetic quality, energy conservation, spatial optimization, and universal accessibility standards.

c. Criterion 3: Past Performance. Past performance on contracts with the Department of War, other Federal agencies, and commercial clients in terms of:

i. Quality of finished work and adherence to design specifications.

ii. Control of design and construction costs, accuracy of engineering estimates, and cost-control systems.

iii. Compliance with performance schedules and milestone delivery dates.

iv. Responsiveness, professional customer interface, and proactive management of subcontractors.

NOTE: Evaluations will incorporate CPARS reports, past performance questionnaires, and client references.

d. Criterion 4: Capacity to Accomplish the Work within Schedule.

The Board will evaluate the firm’s organizational structure, current workload, available depth of professional personnel, and demonstrate capacity to execute a fast-track, 16-month design-through-installation schedule while maintaining stringent quality control. The Contractor should provide a description of their knowledge and understanding of the requirements as outlined in this requirement and all attachments. This includes the proposed methodologies, processes, and techniques which demonstrate the soundness, feasibility, practicability, and appropriateness in accomplishing SOO requirements. The technical approach shall be succinct, logical, and consistent with the tasks to be accomplished, and it fully addresses the purposes described in the SOO.

e. Criterion 5: Knowledge of the Locality & Geographic Proximity

Demonstrated familiarity with local building codes, regional environmental and climatic conditions, building authorities in Arlington, and the ability to provide physical representation, when required, at DARPA Headquarters for site reviews, stakeholder sessions, and project oversight.

f. Criterion 6: Equitable Distribution of DoW Contracts

In accordance with FAR and DFARS requirements, the Board will consider the volume of work previously awarded to the firm by DoW during the previous 12 months, with the objective of effecting an equitable distribution of DoW A&E contracts among qualified firms.

5. SELECTION PROCESS

a. Board Evaluation: An Architect-Engineer Evaluation Board composed of qualified Government personnel will evaluate all compliant SF 330 submittals against the evaluation criteria established in Section 4.

b. Short-Listing: The Board will establish a short list of no fewer than three (3) of the most highly qualified firms.

c. Phase II Solicitation Issuance: The Phase II solicitation package will be issued exclusively to the most highly qualified firms. In accordance with FAR Part 36, the Phase II solicitation will not be posted publicly to SAM.gov.

6. DISCLOSURES

a. Small Business Requests for Copy of Solicitation Pursuant to FAR 5.202 and FAR 5.102(a)(5), bona fide small business concerns may request a copy of the Phase II solicitation once it is issued to the short-listed firms by submitting a written request to the Contracting Officer at DMP@darpa.mil.

b. Respondents are advised that DARPA is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted under this notice.

Responses to this notice do not bind DARPA to any further actions, to include directly requesting proposals from organizations responding to this notice.

c. Submissions may be reviewed by the Government (DARPA and partners) and Scientific Engineering and Technical Assistance (SETA) contractors. All personnel with access to the submissions will be covered by a legally-binding non-disclosure agreement.