P02 Sources Sought Notice 36C10F22R0030.pdf

Sources Sought Notice

*= Required Field

SUBJECT* Indiantown Gap National Cemetery | Phase 5 Development

GENERAL INFORMATION

CONTRACTING OFFICE’S ZIP CODE*

20001

SOLICITATION NUMBER* 36C10F22R0030

RESPONSE DATE/TIME/ZONE 02-07-2022 3:00 PM EASTERN TIME, NEW

YORK, USA

ARCHIVE 99 DAYS AFTER THE RESPONSE DATE

RECOVERY ACT FUNDS N

SET-ASIDE SDVOSBC

PRODUCT SERVICE CODE* Y1PC

NAICS CODE* 237990

CONTRACTING OFFICE ADDRESS Department of Veterans Affairs

Office of Construction and Facilities Management (003C4B) 425 I Street NW Washington DC 20001

POINT OF CONTACT*

Contracting Officer Marcel Parfenti catalin.parfenti@va.gov 202-570-8213

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

ADDRESS

Indiantown Gap National Cemetery

Indiantown Gap Rd.

Annville PA

POSTAL CODE 17003

COUNTRY USA

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AGENCY’S URL

www.cfm.va.gov

URL DESCRIPTION Office of Construction and Facilities Management AGENCY CONTACT’S EMAIL ADDRESS catalin.parfenti@va.gov EMAIL DESCRIPTION Contracting Officer

DESCRIPTION

This Sources Sought Notice (SSN) is for market research purposes in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10 and FAR 15.201(e), to determine the availability and technical capabilities of qualified sources. It does not constitute a solicitation and is not to be considered as a commitment by the Government. All firms responding to this notice are advised that their response to this notice is not a request that will be considered for contract award. All interested parties will be required to respond to the resultant solicitation separately from their response to this notice. Firms interested in submitting their capabilities for this project must include the following information compiled into a Contractor Capability Statement package:

1. Cover letter/introduction that includes company name, address, DUNS Number, point of contact with phone number and e-mail address.

2. Business size determination and qualifying small business status, if a small business:

a. If, applicable provide evidence of Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB) or Veteran Owned Small Businesses (VOSB) status through registration at VIP (https://www.vip.vetbiz.va.gov/);

b. If, applicable provide evidence of ability to offer as a small business under NAICS Code 237990 and listing in the System for Award Management (www.beta.SAM.gov), with representations and certifications.

3. Bonding capacity:

a. Provide a letter from your surety on surety letterhead that affirms your company’s bonding capacity to furnish a bid bond, payment bond, and performance bond for a project between $20-$50 Million.

4. Contractor Capability Statement shall include, but not be limited, to the following:

a. Corporate Experience:

i. Provide projects in the past seven (7) years that are Valued at approximately $20M or greater in construction costs, and

ii. Demonstrate your company’s experience constructing or managing the construction of projects that match the following characteristics:

a. VA/NCA National Cemetery projects.

b. State/local/private cemetery projects.

c. Projects requiring the construction of multiple features typical to a National Cemetery such as pre-cast, placed crypts; columbaria niches, memorial walls, cast or natural stone columbarium caps, cast or natural stone veneers, turf (sod) placement and maintenance, tree and shrub placement and maintenance, irrigation systems with mainlines exceeding 4-inch in diameter, irrigation central control systems, roadways, wetlands/environmental remediation or restoration.

d. Building construction, building remodel, mass/fine grading & excavation, site utilities, paving, new golf courses or expansions, regional parks, multiple sport-fields complexes, or multi-phased land development projects larger than 10 acres.

b. Describe your experience with as many of the elements of construction identified, below, as you can:

i. Mass/fine Grading & Excavation Site Utilities

• Prefer to see projects involving earth work and grading for cemeteries, parks or site development projects of at least 10 acres.

ii. Site Utilities

• Demonstrate experience with storm water management systems and site drainage for flat sites.

• Demonstrate experience with potable water distribution from a well, or municipal source

• Demonstrate experience with sanitary waste systems, both POWTS & municipal.

iii. Paving

• Paving projects may include private & local asphalt roads; concrete curb & gutter, asphalt parking lots, and concrete sidewalk, on site development projects of at least 10 acres.

• Experience in Colorado or similar climates is preferred, but not required.

iv. Landscaping

• Landscaping projects involving planting and lawn installation for cemeteries, parks, golf courses or other site development projects of at least 10 acres in climates similar to Denver, CO.

v. Irrigation

• Irrigation system installation for cemetery, park, golf course, or other types of development sites of at least 10 acres. Include experience with irrigation ponds, wells, pumping systems if you have it.

vi. Precast Concrete Burial Components

• Demonstrate experience with successful fabrication and installation of precast crypt and precast columbarium, if you have it.

vii. Phasing and Continuity of Operations

• Demonstrate experience with best practices to successfully complete phased site work at an occupied and functioning facility in a way to minimize noise and dust and minimize detrimental effects on cemetery operations.

5. Current Project List:

Provide a detailed list of ongoing contracts & projects; the description shall include project type, award amount, award date, and estimated completion date.

6. Project Labor Agreement (PLA):

A PLA is defined as a pre-hire Collective Bargaining Agreement with one or more labor organizations that establishes the terms and conditions of employment for a specific construction project and is an agreement described in 29 U.S.C. 158(f). The PLA questionnaire must be filled out and returned to the Contracting Officer.

Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 22.503 Policy:

(a) Project Labor Agreement (PLA) is a tool that agencies may use to promote economy and efficiency in Federal procurement. Pursuant to Executive Order 13502, agencies are encouraged to consider requiring the use of project labor agreements in connection with large-scale construction projects.

(b) An agency may, if appropriate, require that every contractor and subcontractor engaged in construction on the project agree, for that project, to negotiate or become a party to a project labor agreement with one or more labor organizations if the agency decides that the use of project labor agreements will-

(1) Advance the Federal Government's interest in achieving economy and efficiency in Federal procurement, producing labor-management stability, and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations governing safety and health, equal employment opportunity, labor and employment standards, and other matters; and

(2) Be consistent with law.

(c) Agencies may also consider the following factors in deciding whether the use of a project labor agreement is appropriate for the construction project:

(1) The project will require multiple construction contractors and/or subcontractors employing workers in multiple crafts or trades.

(2) There is a shortage of skilled labor in the region in which the construction project will be sited.

(3) Completion of the project will require an extended period of time.

(4) Project labor agreements have been used on comparable projects undertaken by Federal, State, municipal, or private entities in the geographic area of the project.

(5) A project labor agreement will promote the agency’s long term program interests, such as facilitating the training of a skilled workforce to meet the agency’s future construction needs.

(6) Any other factors that the agency decides are appropriate.

See FAR Provision: 52.222-33 Notice of Requirement for Project Labor Agreement and FAR Clause 52.222-34 Project Labor Agreement for further details.

Please submit Contractor Capability Statement package via email to Marcel Parfenti, Contracting Officer, at catalin.parfenti@va.gov, no later than 3:00 PM ET on February 07, 2022, in the subject line state “Phase 5 Development and [Company Name]". Note that this mailbox will only accept e-mails of 15MB in size or smaller, so you may break your submission into multiple emails if needed. All information concerning this requirement, when it proceeds to solicitation, will be posted only on the Federal Business Opportunities website (https://SAM.gov).

mailto:catalin.parfenti@va.gov https://sam.gov/

PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT (PLA) QUESTIONNAIRE

(Please respond to the questions below)

1. Is your company familiar with Project Labor Agreement (PLA) and its use on construction projects?

Yes/No

Comments:

2. Would your company likely submit a proposal for the VA construction solicitation that requires the use of a PLA?

Yes/No

Comments:

3. If VA requires a PLA, would your proposed construction cost likely to increase or decrease and what is the likely percentage of cost increase or decrease?

Comments:

4. Does the VA requirement to use of a PLA on a construction project restrict competition?

Yes/No

Comments:

5. Do you expect subcontractor resistance should VA requires the use of a PLA on this construction solicitation?

Yes/No

Comments:

6. Do you have additional comments regarding the use of a PLA for this project?

Comments:

--- End of PLA Questionnaire ---

Indiantown Gap National Cemetery Phase 5 Development

Project Scope

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) seeks expressions of interest for a construction contract at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery Phase 5 Development with the use of a Project Labor Agreement (PLA). The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) of 237990 (Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction) with the size standard of $39.5 Million. The approximate project duration will be 1,095 calendar days from the Notice to Proceed. The estimated magnitude for this project is between $20,000,000 and $50,000,000. VA is considering conducting this acquisition as a “best value with tradeoffs” in accordance with FAR Part 15, Contracting by Negotiation.

Project Description:

The National Cemetery Administration (NCA) is one of three Administrations within the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that provide for the delivery of services and benefits to Veterans. NCA is responsible for providing cemetery services to Veterans and other eligible persons pursuant to the provisions of the National Cemeteries Act of 1973 and other statutory authority and regulations (38 U.S.C. 2306, 38 U.S.C. Chapter 24, 38 CFR Parts 38-39.) NCA’s responsibilities include the operation and maintenance of 134 national cemeteries, and the construction of new national cemeteries.

The NCA mission is to honor Veterans with final resting places in national shrines and with lasting tributes that commemorate their service to our Nation. The NCA provides burial space for eligible Veterans and family members; maintains the graves and their environs as national shrines in perpetuity;

assists state and tribal organizations in providing burial benefits to Veterans through the Veterans Cemetery Grants Program; furnishes headstones and markers for graves in national, federally-administered state, tribal, and private cemeteries; marks Veterans' graves with a Government-furnished headstone, marker or medallion and provides Presidential Memorial Certificates in recognition of their service to a grateful nation; and administers grants for establishing or expanding state and tribal government veterans cemeteries.

The purpose of this project is to enable an existing national cemetery to continue to provide burial services for eligible veterans in eastern Pennsylvania. This proposed development will provide an additional 10 years of continued burial service to a veteran population who has been served by this national cemetery since it opened. Without this project NCA is projecting gravesite depletion of casketed gravesites by April 2028, columbarium niche cremation sites by May 2030, and in-ground cremation gravesites by May 2030.

In accordance with the updated master plan prepared as part of this project for the entire 677-acre site, and this project will develop approximately 27 acres of the 456 undeveloped acres remaining at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Indiantown Gap Rd, Annville, PA 17003.

This project will comprise the next construction phase of cemetery development and will primarily include the construction of additional burial facilities intended to provide 10 years of service on existing, undeveloped land. The remainder of the site will be developed in future 15-year phased projects. Since this is an existing cemetery, only those facilities and infrastructure elements necessary to support the added maintenance, operations, and burial capacity for approximately 10 years will comprise this phase of construction. This project will develop approximately 15,948 gravesites, including both casket and cremation sites in new burial sections as follows:

(a) Double Depth Pre-Placed Crypts 5,122

(b) Double Depth Oversized Pre-Placed Crypts 208

(c) Traditional Full Casket sites 598

(d) In-Ground Cremains 4,020

(e) Columbarium Niches 6,000

In addition to the gravesite expansion the following elements will be included in this Access Roads and Parking to include:

• New access roads and parking as required.

• Add concrete curbs to control drainage.

• Pavement resurfacing/restoration (mill/repave) asphalt roads.

• Construct gravel pathways to accommodate equipment access to back sides at new burial sections.

• Widen/Reconstruct existing asphalt combined public walkway and equipment access pathways to better accommodate equipment while keeping pathway as narrow as possible to 8’ or 9’ max

• Repair on site bridges as required by contract documents.

• Repair and provide corrective action at sunken drainage inlets.

Grading, Drainage, and Landscaping:

• Remove/Replace with alternate species diseased Green Ash trees according to assessment and replacement plan developed for this project recreating historic “historic hedge rows”.

• Remove invasive tree species such a “Tree of Heaven”.

• Recreate historic “hedge rows” with native vegetation for new development.

• Install entry feature enhancements.

Site Furnishings and new flower watering stations required at new sections.

Signage:

• Provide new exterior cemetery signage to exactly match style, quality, and materials of existing custom signage.

• Install new Directory signs and update Kiosk programing to be consistent with expanded site plan.

Extend irrigation into new burial sections compatible with existing system.

Perform corrections/upgrades to cemetery wide electrical distribution system including, but not limited to:

• Straighten leaning electrical panels.

• Upgrade Entry area lighting.

• Upgrade Flagpole Lighting and wiring (with energy efficient LED lighting).

Pic/Admin area improvements to include:

• Correct water ponding near Gravesite locator.

• Provide frost heave resistant sidewalk tie in at building approaches.

Upgrades/ improvements to Maintenance Complex to include, but not limited to:

• Add enclosed wash bay building.

• Renovate restrooms.

• Replace building air compressor with quiet type in remote location.

• Provide emergency generator connection to fueling station.

• Add water hydrant to maintenance areas for the purpose of filling water trucks.

Replace Sanitary lines from PIC/Admin and Maintenance Building to near Committal Shelter 2.

Security upgrades to all cemetery facilities according to the most current NCA Physical Security Design Standards to include, but not limited to:

• Expansion of security camera system.

• Card reader/access system at the Administration-PIC, Maintenance Complex, to include the IT rooms.

• Current building intrusion detection requirements

Re-seal all pavement/walk joints including areas of Administration-PIC, Maintenance Complex, Committal Shelters, Public Assembly area, Columbarium.

Reseal cap joints at Columbarium’s A, B and C. Realign capstones as required.

Retrofit/incorporate Guiding Principles for High Performance and Sustainable Buildings MOU and Renewable Energy Initiatives. LEED and Green Globe requirements may be used to improve sustainability and reduce energy usage.

Protected Habitat Preservation, Wetlands, and Mitigation Geographic Information System (GIS) for new sections.

Correct FCA items rated ‘D’ and ‘F’.

--- End ---

Please submit Contractor Capability Statement package via email to Marcel Parfenti, Contracting Officer, at catalin.parfenti@va.gov, no later than 3:00 PM ET on February 07, 2022, in the subject line state “Phase 5 Development and [Company Name]". Note that this mailbox will only accept e-mails of 15MB in size or smaller, so you may break your submission into multiple emails if needed. All information concerning this requirement, when it proceeds to solicitation, will be posted only on the Federal Business Opportunities website (https://SAM.gov).

--- End of Sources Sought Notice ---mailto:catalin.parfenti@va.gov https://sam.gov/