P09-Supplement B - Renovate Behavioral Health Phase 3.pdf

Harry S Truman Veterans' Memorial Hospital (HSTVMH) – Columbia, MO Supplement B - A/E DESIGN SERVICES for

“Renovate Behavioral Health Phase 3” Project No. 589A4-27-103

PROJECT NUMBER: 589A4-27-103

PROJECT TITLE: Renovate Behavioral Health Phase 3

DESIGN TIMEFRAME: A/E shall deliver final construction documents NLT 365 calendar days after the Award/Notice to Proceed Letter

CONSTRUCTION BUDGET/DESIGN LIMITATION:

Magnitude of construction project range: Between $5,000,000 to $10,000,000

The A/E will be required to design within this budget.

In accordance with FAR 52.236-22, Design within Funding Limitation (APR 1984), the estimated Total Construction Contract Price for this project proceeding into construction documents is not to exceed the Construction budget listed above, VA Furnished/Installed Medical Equipment, VA Furnished/Installed FFE or Professional Service Fees. The A/E is responsible for designing the project within the estimated total Construction Contract Price for the Design Development and Construction Document phases of this project. If, at any time, the A/E determines that the design’s construction cost will exceed the Total Construction Contract Price (TCCP) the A/E shall immediately inform the Contracting Officer in writing. Such written notifications shall include the reasons why the A/E believes the TCCP will probably be exceeded and shall offer proposed solutions to reduce the project cost to be within the TCCP. The A/E fee proposal shall be based on the design scope of work as defined below. If the contracting officer determines the TCCP can be increased the design fee will not be increased unless additional scope is requested and added through the modification process.

CRITERIA FOR DESIGN AND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT (as applicable to project)

- Mental Health Outpatient Services Design Guide

- Barrier Free Design Standard

- Design and Construction Procedures, PG-18-3

- Design Manuals, PG-18-10

- Design Submission Instructions, Minor and NRM Projects, PG-18-15, Vol C

- Standard Details. Program Guide, PG-18-4

- Equipment Reference Manual, PG-18-6

- Equipment Guide List, Program Guide PG-18-5

- Space Planning Criteria PG-18-9

- Space Planning Criteria for Medical Facilities Handbook, 7610

- Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards

- Signage Design Guide

- Telecom Systems Infrastructure Standards and Design

- Master Construction Specifications, Program Guide, PG-18-1

- VA Design Alerts

- VHA National CAD Standards

- National Codes and Standards (NFPA, NEC, Natl. Plumbing Code, EPA, OSHA, etc.)

- Physical Security Design Manual for VA Facilities

Note: The above documents can be found at the following website:

http://www.cfm.va.gov/TIL/

A/E Supplement B Renovate Behavioral Health Clinic Phase 3

Project 589-27-103

SCOPE OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECT

Description:

This project will design the third phase of the behavioral health clinic remodel. Intent is to create a state-of-the-art out-patient Behavioral Health Clinic that promotes healing and calmness while reducing anxiety and confusion. This phase will design approximately 15,000 square feet. Phase 3 will join the completed phase 1 (area just north of the elevators) and the upcoming completion of phase 2 (area south of the elevators). Phase 3 will include, but is not limited to, administrative offices, group rooms, clinical offices which double as counseling rooms, public restrooms and staff break room.

The Architect or architect/engineer firm capable of preparing all design and construction documentation including, but not limited to advance planning, design, and construction oversite (including final as-built drawings) at the Harry S Truman Veterans' Memorial Hospital (HSTVMH) in Columbia MO. Prime contractor shall have, at least, the following licensed/registered specialty disciplines be members of the firm, or team, with demonstrable expertise in their respective fields: Architect, Medical Planners, Structural Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Fire Protection Engineer, Life Safety Personnel, Plumbing Engineer, Interior Designers, Communication (voice & data), Electrical Engineer, and Cost Estimator with experience on projects of similar size and complexity. The AE shall also contract a 3rd party to conduct Life Safety/Fire Protection reviews of design submissions. The 3rd party shall have licensed/qualified personnel to conduct and sign off on reviews, per qualifications. The 3rd party shall directly answer/report to the VA/COR.

It is important to emphasize that the A/E shall perform site investigation, design development, detailed design work, prepare detailed construction documents, keeping in mind that the end result is a completely functional and fully operational product. The A/E must consider constructability and maintaining hospital operations while designing the project. This will include phasing of construction and utility impacts.

The A/E must be able to respond to issues in a timely manner, to include being on-site within 8 hours. This is due to the need to keep this project progressing and on time, avoiding any delay claims. As construction is heavy in the area, contractors are on tight schedules to schedule trades and equipment. Having an A/E that can be onsite within 8 hours allows emerging issues to quickly and efficiently be solved.

The final design documents from a resultant task order will be subject to review and approval (by signature) of all members of an Integrated Project Team (IPT) consisting of medical center personnel. These individuals will be identified by the COR at the first design review meeting. Additionally, the design will be reviewed by a 3rd party for compliance with all fire and life safety codes. Code reviews must be performed on the design by qualified engineers who are not associated with the design team. A minimum of two reviews are required at, one at the 60% Design Development submission and one at the 100% Construction Documents submission, per 3rd party requirements. It will be the A/E’s responsibility to address and track responses to all issues arising from these reviews.

As part of the 90% submission the A/E shall provide a written synopsis describing the overall scope of the construction project as well as any pertinent information about the project that would assist potential bidders in preparing a comprehensive bid package. This synopsis is intended to be a general description of the project not to exceed two written pages in length. All electronic files (both specifications and drawings) shall be limited in file size to be less than 20MB so they can be posted to fbo.gov for solicitation.

Mental Health Clinics provide general and specialty mental health services for Veterans being evaluated, diagnosed, and treated on an outpatient basis. Services include:

• Diagnostic and treatment planning evaluations for the full range of mental health problems

• Treatment services, including individual, group, and family psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, and sometimes other somatic treatments

• Cognitive and psychological assessment services

• Patient education

• Consultation services

The A/E design firm shall furnish all necessary architectural and engineering resources to provide a complete construction design package and construction period services. Architect / Engineer shall provide professional design services for the Renovate Behavioral Health Phase 3 project. The project shall include the following key design concepts for this clinic, along with all other design facets deemed necessary by the VA and Architect/Engineering firm for the completion of this project:

a. Design shall meet all applicable/current codes for mechanical, plumbing, electrical, fire protection, and life safety, VA standards, VA Design Manuals, and VA Design Guides.

b. All spaces will be designed to meet the Interagency Security Committee and other relevant physical security guidelines.

c. Create an attractive, non-institutional environment through careful attention to architectural features and interior design elements.

d. Patient spaces should have an attractive, therapeutic environment. Incorporate all colors, trim accent colors, and securely anchored artwork in common areas and patient therapy rooms to enhance the environment.

e. The clinic planning and design should maintain patient privacy and dignity for a diverse Veteran population with different treatment protocols.

f. All areas must be wheelchair accessible. Corridors should be a minimum of 6 feet (1.83 m) clear to allow passage of two wheelchairs.

g. Therapy rooms and space for tele-mental health technology should have appropriate acoustic and light control.

h. Ample light should be provided in common hallways. All rooms shall have dimmable lighting.

i. All lighting shall be LED and dimmable.

j. Security, access control, and surveillance shall be tied into the existing security system (Lenel).

k. Building Management System shall be tied into the existing Building Management System.

l. All controls shall be tied into the existing building management system.

m. All plumbing shall comply with VHA Directive 1061.

n. HVAC system to be variable air volume type, with constant volume provided in required areas. HVAC shall comply with the VA HVAC Design Manual.

All designs should account for constructability and ensure the construction is capable of being completed safely with minimal impact to the medical center operations. Phasing may be required based on design.

AE will design the project to include 2 deducts, should bids come in above the estimate. This project is not expected to include more than 2 bid deducts.

Anticipated time for completion of design is 365 calendar days including time for VA reviews.

SITE INVESTIGATION

A/E shall be responsible for conducting site visits for the purpose of data gathering investigation and documentation of all existing conditions. Perform such investigations as required to accurately verify all existing conditions. Do not rely solely upon "as built" drawings. VA personnel will provide assistance with investigating the project site where prior experience with equipment and utilities will produce an appreciable advantage. The A/E firm shall be responsible for site review of the existing facility in order to field verify the owner's existing documents and as-built drawings. Any modifications that are required to be made as a result of the site review shall be communicated to the VA and corrected by the A/E firm. The A/E shall make investigations necessary to thoroughly evaluate the conditions of the existing space. The VA shall allow for five days of site investigations. Any investigations beyond that shall be at the A/E’s expense. All site investigations should be completed during the site investigation phase, but follow up visits are acceptable to verify at no additional cost to the VA.

Schematic

The A/E shall do several visits (minimum of three) to the facility to meet and discuss with the Integrated Project Team. An agreed to and solid schematic design is the foundation for a successful design.

A. The first meeting will be to do an initial site visit and hear the needs, wants and desires of the users for this space.

B. The second visit will be to present a minimum of four schematics with A/E providing their pros/cons to each. This visit is to be a “working visit” with the A/E having the ability to make changes, display these visually and provide some immediate feedback. During this visit, the discussion of phasing needs to begin with the VA providing the priority areas

C. The third meeting shall depict the schematic result from meeting two, also depicting the phasing plan. During this meeting final schematic and phasing shall be finalized and agreed to with the A/E providing a “final” schematic with phasing one week after this meeting.

D. AE shall plan for design and design review meetings as part of the Scope of Work.

Design Development

The design shall include any energy efficiency improvements available for the application. The DD phase defines the space, a to scale depiction of spatial relationships, wall locations, restrooms, etc. All designs shall be in accordance with A/E Submission Instructions for Minor and NRM Construction Program, Program Guide PG-18-15, Volume C.

A. Mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and fire and safety systems must meet current codes and standards, including VA Standards. All new space and utilities will be designed to meet the Interagency Security Committee’s and other relevant physical security guidelines. At a minimum, MEP at this phase shall identify tie-in locations (mechanical and plumbing), panels and power locations (electrical).

B. A/E shall provide a life safety code analysis of the proposed design in coordination with the existing adjacent functions to verify the proposed design does not generate any compliance issues. This is to be included during the various phases (if required). The DD submission will identify all life safety designations (smoke barriers, rated walls, sprinkler zones, etc.).

C. The A/E shall provide a certification that the Renovate Behavioral Health Phase 3 Project is a stand-alone project and does not require any follow-on project to make the space suitable for its intended occupancy.

D. The A/E shall provide several finish choices/combinations from which the VA staff can choose from. End state is a warm, welcoming and familiar environment for patients while maintaining a warm and therapeutic environment for staff. Sound absorbing walls, floor and ceiling materials shall be utilized.

Construction Documents

A. A/E firm shall complete such further investigations to develop the accepted design development documents into working drawings and specifications for issuance through the competitive bid process.

B. A/E firm shall provide a complete construction plan detailing all phases and sequencing of construction to minimize the impact on the facility. Coordination with the VA to specify any areas that may require special notes (i.e. off working hours, weekends) and critical adjacent areas which require special attention.

C. In most instances, copies of the VA Master Construction Specifications will be available off the

Office of Construction & Facilities Management TIL website (http://www.cfm.va.gov/TIL/), which will be edited and incorporated in the project specifications. In those instances, where copies of the VA Master Construction Specifications are not available, the A/E shall develop the specification for incorporation into the project specifications. Copies of design guides, space criteria, room finishes, and other VA guidelines are also available off the Internet. It is required that the A/E design in accordance to VA guidelines as these guidelines supersede any other industry guidelines. It is important to note that all specification sections be thoroughly edited to maintain uniformity of formatting and structure. All spec writer notes must be removed.

D. Working drawings and specifications shall be provided for construction within the National Fire

Protection Association Code, VA Standards, and other applicable national codes.

1. The A/E shall package bid documents necessary to solicit, bid and award the construction of this project.

2. A/E will provide a 1 to 2-page scope of work summary of the project to the contracting officer when 90% of design documents are complete. This document will be used in the solicitation portions of the project. The summary must contain enough information for a contractor to fully understand the scope/effort of the project. All files shall be broken into volumes no more than 10MB each.

3. The A/E shall provide a signed memorandum stating that this project has been designed as a standalone project. The VA shall provide this memorandum for signature.

4. A/E firm shall provide two (2) copies of such drawings, copies of construction cost estimates, and specifications developed. Drawings shall be one (1) full size (36”x48”) copy and one (1) half size (18”x24”) copy and a set of specifications to the VA, and one (1) half size (18”x24”) copy and a set of specifications to the contracting officer. Specifications should be hard copy and pdf format (specs shall also be provided electronically in word format).

Deliverables shall include:

(ALL ELECRONIC SUBMISSIONS, FILES MUST BE LESS THAN 10MB IN SIZE)

Site Investigation 1 Electronic PDF copy of site investigation findings.

Schematic Submission (minimum of three layouts) (35%):

1 Electronic PDF copy of drawings, and cost estimate.

1 electronic copy of design narrative

Design Development Submission (60%):

2 Complete hardcopy sets of drawings (1 full size, 1 half-size), (Delivered to COR) 1 hardcopy set of specifications (Delivered to COR) 1 electronic PDF copy of drawings and specifications (specs both in combined PDF and Word file) 1 electronic AutoCAD 2019 (or newer) and Revit copy of drawings and cost estimate.

A third-party Life Safety/Fire Protection review, provided by the AE, will be conducted on the 60% submittal. All comments shall be provided to the AE and VA for review/corrections. The AE will address/correct these comments by the next submission.

A third-party Life Safety review will be conducted on the 60% submittal. All comments shall be provided to the AE and the VA. AE will address/correct these comments by the next submission.

Construction Documents Submission (90%)

2 complete hardcopy sets of drawings (1 full-size, 1 half-sized) (Delivered to COR) 1 hard copy of specs (Delivered to COR) 1 complete hardcopy set of drawings (half-size) (Delivered to Contracting Officer) 1 hard copy set of clean specs (Delivered to Contracting Officer).

1 hardcopy cost estimate (Delivered to Contracting Officer).

1 electronic PDF copy of drawings.

1 electronic combined PDF and Word copy of specs.

1 electronic copy of cost estimate.

A third-party Life Safety/Fire Protection review, provided by the AE, will be conducted on the 90% submittal. All comments shall be provided to the AE and VA for review/corrections. The AE will address/correct these comments by the next submission.

As part of this submission the A/E shall provide a written narrative describing the overall scope of the construction project as well as any pertinent information about the project that would assist potential bidders in preparing a comprehensive bid package. This narrative is intended to be a general description of the project not to exceed two written pages in length.

Construction Documents Submission (100% FINAL BID Documents)

2 Complete hard copy sets of drawings (1 full size, 1 half size) (Delivered to COR) 2 sets of bound specifications (Delivered to COR);

1 Hard copy cost estimate (Delivered to COR) 1 Electronic copy of drawings (PDF & AutoCAD 2019 (or newer)) 1 Electronic copy of specifications (combined PDF & Word)

1 Revit model(s);

1 Complete hard copy set of drawings (half-size drawing) (Delivered to Contracting Officer) 1 Complete hard copy of bid set of specs (Delivered to Contracting Officer) 1 Hard copy cost estimate (Delivered to Contracting Officer) Comments/answers from the 90% Life Safety/Fire Protection review with all comments addressed *** This is a 100% set for review (unsigned/stamped). If there are no corrections to be made, AE will resubmit electronically a signed/stamped set – labeled FOR BID). If there are corrections that need to occur, AE will work via TEAMs with COR to prove changes are made, then submit electronically a signed/stamped final set (FOR BID)

Conformed Drawings/Specifications:

In the event changes are made during bidding process, AE shall develop and provide 3 complete hard copy sets (1 full size, 2 half size, 1 half size mailed to the contracting officer) and 2 sets of conformed specifications (1 mailed to the contracting officer as well as an electronic conformed set of drawings based on the bid item(s) taken.)

As-Built (Record) Drawings

1 Complete hard copy full size set 1 Electronic copy in PDF, 1 Electronic AutoCAD 2019 (or newer) with bound x-refs and REVIT model.

Meetings: The project COR and/or CO will chair all meetings with a designated lead member of the A/E team serving as facilitator/lead. The A/E should prepare weekly review meetings with a meeting agenda and submit it for review by the COR prior to the meeting. Upon approval of the agenda items, the A/E will distribute the agenda or coordinate with the COR for distribution and electronic meeting scheduling.

A. The weekly meeting agenda must include:

1. The project name and VA project number.

2. The date, time and location of the meeting.

3. Teleconference information for attendees that cannot be physically present.

Teleconferencing may be set up through TEAMS or coordinated with the COR for use of the web-based teleconferencing system. The A/E may not include the cost of teleconferencing in their proposal for either Part I or Part II services.

4. Previous meetings past action items, associated responsible party, date item was initiated, expected completion date and status/notes or date closed.

B. The A/E is responsible for documenting meeting minutes and distributing meeting minutes for conferences, teleconferences, review sessions, progress meetings within three (3) days after the event. Meeting Minutes must document:

1. The project name and VA project number.

2. The date of the meeting.

3. The date of issue for the Meeting Minutes.

4. The list of attendees with names, represented organization and email.

5. A distribution list including names, organization and email of recipients.

6. Outstanding action items from previous meetings with associated responsible party, date item was initiated, expected completion date and status.

7.

8. New action items generated by the meeting with associated responsible party, date item was initiated, expected completion date and status/notes.

C. Meetings for Schematic Design and Design Development with the Project Manager and IPT shall be presented in a forum allowing all members of the team to easily view the drawings, participate in discussion and unify the team’s comments into a single focus. The A/E will coordinate with the COR for the appropriate conference space at the HSTVMH. The A/E is to provide or coordinate with the COR for the appropriate equipment needed for presentation.

HSTVMH policies do not allow non-VA equipment such as laptops, tablet computers, USB drives, external hard drives or other devices that may present a security risk to Government systems.

D. A/E shall plan for the following design and review meetings as part of the Scope of Work.

Meetings itemized in this Supplement B as on-site below are required to be completed at HSTVMH. All other review meetings may be conducted utilizing TEAMS.

1. Notice to Proceed will be a teleconference between the Contracting Officer, COR and AE firm. This date will be coordinated with the AE to ensure the AE is ready to begin design and has had a chance to plan travel to the site. This serves as the start of the project (NTP).

2. The Initial Kickoff Meeting/Site Investigation will be held with the HSTMVH engineering staff. This meeting shall be coordinated between the AE and the facility to occur no later than (NLT) 10 days after NTP. This meeting will be intended to provide onsite familiarization with the project. (NTP + 10)

a) Kickoff meeting will be onsite with facility personnel. This will be a broad overview of the project, laying out perimeters and boundaries prior to meeting with the Integrated Project Team (IPT).

b) On the same day, immediately following this kickoff meeting, will be an in-person meeting with the IPT.

i) This meeting is to gather the desires from the IPT as to what they would like to see in the design, flow concerns, etc.

ii) During the IPT meeting the AE will determine the current workflow and utilize lean design principles to develop proposed schematic design options.

c) Site investigation shall occur during this time frame and the schematic design. The AE is responsible for a complete on-site investigation to verify details of the area being designed. A summary of site investigation findings shall be provided to the VA at the end of site investigation. (5 days within schedule)

3. Schematic Design: Schematic Design (SD) has been split into three distinct parts SD1, SD2, & SD3. Each SD shall include a detailed efficiency review.

a) SD1 (Schematic Design Part 1, Initial SD) (NPT + 55)

i) AE shall provide three (3) distinct SD layouts for VA review based on meetings with the IPT. A brief written synopsis containing the pros and cons of each shall also be provided within 30 days of the initial meetings. (NPT + 40)

ii) The VA will conduct a review of the SD layouts with the IPT and provide the AE comments within ten (10) days of receiving SD1. (NPT + 50)

iii) An onsite meeting with the user group will occur to discuss the submission of SD1, provide feedback and hear issues/concerns. (NPT + 55)

b) SD2 (Schematic Design Part 2) (NPT + 100)

i) The AE will review the VA comments and submit two (2) revised SD layouts to the VA within 30 days of the user meeting as part of SD2. In the event that VA comments from SD1 provide a clear design path, only a single design for SD2 is required. If a clear path forward was not determined during SD1, two separate revised designs shall be submitted as part of SD2. The requirement for one or two revised schematic designs will be indicated on the return of SD1 in the approval comments. (NPT + 85)

ii) The VA will review the new SD layouts for 10 days. (NPT + 95)

iii) A virtual meeting with the user group will occur to discuss the submission of SD2, provide feedback and hear issues/concerns. (NPT + 100)

c) SD3 (Schematic Design Part 3, Final SD) (NPT + 135)

i) The AE will make a “final” SD layout submission for VA approval within 20 days of the user meeting. (NPT + 120)

ii) The VA will review for 10 days. (NPT + 130)

iii) A virtual meeting with the user group will occur to discuss the submission of SD3, provide feedback and hear issues/concerns. End state should be VA providing final input and approval. (NPT +135)

d) The VA must provide SD approval prior to moving into any formal DD work.

e) All submissions during this phase shall be digital (pdf, word, excel).

4. Design Development (CD-35%): AE shall provide to the VA 35% Design

Development documents within 25 days of receiving schematic design approval.

(NPT + 160)

a) The VA will review DD submission for 10 days. (NPT + 170)

b) A joint on-site review will be conducted between the AE and the VA. (NPT +

175)

c) The VA must provide DD approval prior to moving into any formal CD work.

5. Design Development (CD-60%): AE shall provide the VA with 60% construction documents within 30 days of approved DD documents. Drawings shall depict all as a minimum: all walls, wall type, life safety, MEP, and phasing. (NPT + 205)

a) The VA will review the CD-60% submission for 14 days. (NPT + 219)

b) A joint onsite review will be conducted between the AE and the VA. (NPT +

220)

c) The VA must provide CD-60% approval prior to moving into any formal CD-

90% work.

6. Construction Documents (CD-90%) AE shall provide the VA with 90% construction documents within 30 days of approved CD-60% documents. This submission should allow construction contractors to bid from. (NPT + 250)

a) The VA will review the CD-90% submission for 14 days. (NPT + 264)

b) A joint onsite review will be conducted between the AE and the VA. (NPT +

265)

c) The VA must provide CD-90% approval prior to moving into any formal CD-

100% work.

7. Construction Documents (Final-100% Bid documents) AE shall provide the VA with

100% construction documents within 25 days of approved CD-90% documents. (NPT + 290)

- 2 Complete hardcopy sets- 1 full-size, 1 half-size, 1 hard copy of specs (Delivered to

COR)

- 1 Complete hard copy set- 1 half-size drawing, 1 set of clean specs (Delivered to Contracting Officer)

- 1 Electronic copy of drawings (PDF & AutoCAD) and specifications (combined PDF & Word)

- 1 electronic copy of cost estimate

- 1 Hard copy cost estimate (Delivered to COR)

- 1 Hard copy cost estimate (Delivered to Contracting Officer)

- 1 Revit model(s)

a) AE shall address/correct any comments found in 100% documents that were not corrected from 90% review and correct and resubmit 100% Bid Documents within 5 days. (NPT + 310)

b) AE shall provide all bid documents in electronic pdf format. All files shall be broken into volumes no more than 10MB each. Construction Bid Set (drawings and specifications) shall be stamped/sealed by licensed architect and/or engineer licensed to perform the work.

8. Conformed Construction Set

a) Conformed Construction Set (drawings and specifications) shall be stamped/sealed by licensed architect and/or engineer licensed to perform the work.

b) Conformed Construction Set shall be provided prior to start of construction and incorporate any and all addenda to date from bid RFI, clarifications, etc.

c) This is intended to provide a set of drawings “For Construction” to differentiate between any bid documents or developmental progress drawings.

Total contract design duration shall not exceed PROJECT 365 DAYS calendar days, SUBMISSION SCHEDULES:

NTP/Kickoff Meeting 5 days Meeting with HSTMVH leadership/IPT 5 days Site Investigation 5 days Schematic Design 35%

Schematic Design SD1 30 days SD1 VA Review 10 days SD1 Meeting 1 day Schematic Design SD2 30 days SD2 VA Review 10 days SD2 Virtual Meeting 1 day Schematic Design SD3 20days SD3 VA Review 10 days SD3 Meeting 1 day Design Development (60%) 30 days

Design Development Review 14 days Construction Documents (90%) 30 days Construction Documents Review 15 days Construction Documents (100%BID DOCUMENTS) 25 days Construction Documents Review 14 days

Sealed Final Bid Documents Submission 5 days

In the event that SD2 or SD3 are not needed, overall submission schedule shall be lessened by equivalent number of days not needed.

FIRE PROTECTION ENGINEERING AND LIFE SAFETY CODE REVIEW SERVICES:

Performance Work Statement:

A. SCOPE - Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital is seeking an independent third-party fire protection and life safety code review for the subject delegated construction project, as required by Veteran Health Administration (VHA) Directive 7712 Fire Protection Code Reviews of Delegated Construction Projects. The review must be performed by a Fire Protection Engineer (FPE) who meets the qualifications and experience requirements outlined in Section IV, Qualifications, of this PWS. The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, tools, materials, supervision, and other items necessary to meet the requirements.

B. DESCRIPTION OF TASKS –

1. General Requirements:

a. All written deliverables shall be phrased in layperson’s language. Statistical and other technical terminology shall not be used without providing a glossary of terms.

b. The COR and/or CO may require the contractor to meet virtually with the CO, contract administrator, and other government personnel as deemed necessary. The contractor may request a virtual meeting with the COR and/or CO when deemed necessary.

c. The contractor shall provide, via email, minutes of all government-contractor meetings. The contractor shall provide these draft minutes within two business days after completion of the meeting. The government representative will review draft minutes, make edits as appropriate, and return edited minutes and associated comments to the contractor. Contractors shall have one business day after receipt to finalize minutes and return to the government.

d. The contractor shall ensure contract employees maintain open and professional communication with staff at VA facilities. Complaints validated by the COR or other VA staff will be reported in writing to the CO for action. If the contractor fails to correct validated complaints raised by the COR and CO to the satisfaction of the COR, it will be considered a failure in performance.

2. The Platform:

The vendor shall provide a Microsoft compatible web-based document transfer platform accessible to VA staff. The purpose is to provide a platform where the design documents can be uploaded by the VA for contractor review. The platform must be compatible with VA Microsoft Office programs and allow for the transfer of large files from behind the VA Intranet fire wall to the platform. The VA email system will not support this function. The construction project documents to be reviewed include drawings, specifications, calculations, and other relevant design documents.

3. Project Fire Protection and Life Safety (FLS) Review:

a. Fire protection and life safety reviews are to be provided at the 60% and 100% design submission levels. The VA COR or designated representative will submit a fire protection and life safety (FLS) review request and a set of associated project documents for the contractor review when design documents are available. The contractor will provide a written backcheck of A/E comment responses and resolutions at the 100% submission.

b. Design review documents could include narratives, specifications, drawings, calculations, requests for information (RFIs), or other documents. See VA Program Guide PG-18-15 for additional typical A/E submittal components that may need to be reviewed.

c. The written project review report, referred to herein as the FLS Review Report (the “Report”), must be developed and submitted by the contractor in editable Microsoft Excel format. The Report must include a blank column for A/E Designer of Record responses. Both an Excel file and PDF file of the report must be submitted to the VA for each review request. A sample FLS Review Report form must be submitted by the contractor and approved by the COR prior to being used for reviews.

d. The written FLS Review Report must provide both mandatory comments (based on code, standard, or VA requirements) and advisory comments (recommendations) regarding fire protection and life safety. All comments must include a specific section reference to the corresponding NFPA code, standard, VA Fire Protection Design Manual reference, and/or other relevant VA reference material. Any comments that are advisory (recommendations, not mandatory) must be identified as such in the FLS Review Report. The Report must be checked for spelling and grammar prior to submission to the VA and must bear the name and signature of the qualified fire protection engineer who performed the review.

e. The contractor must return the completed report via email to the COR or representative who submitted the request within 10 business days of the contractor’s receipt of the submittal package.

f. Where the contractor has performed a previous review of a project and the project is submitted again for review at a later stage of design, the VA COR or facility representative will document the resolutions to the previous comments made by the contractor and will submit that documentation to the contractor prior to the contractor’s subsequent review of the new design submission.

g. Design reviews must include a review of the following items, at minimum:

i. Classification of Occupancy (this must be determined before a review can be started)

ii. Minimum Construction Requirements (and separation)

iii. Means of Egress

1. Components (stairs, ramps, doors, door hardware, etc.)

2. Capacity (clear widths)

3. Number of Means of Egress

4. Arrangement

5. Travel Distance (e.g., to exits, within suites, to smoke barriers, etc.)

6. Discharge from Exit

7. Illumination

8. Emergency Lighting

9. Marking Exit Signs

10. Suites

iv. Protection

1. Vertical Openings

2. Hazardous Areas

3. Detection/Alarm Systems, including fire alarm control matrix

4. Suppression / Extinguishment (sprinklers, extinguishers, clean agent, kitchen, etc.)

5. Corridors (separation, clear width, etc.)

6. Subdivision of Building Spaces (smoke barriers, occupancy separations, etc.)

v. Building Services

1. Utilities

2. Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (e.g., smoke and fire dampers, sequence of operations for fire protection-related building controls)

3. Elevators

4. Chutes

vi. Design Specifications, if provided

vii. Narrative, if provided

viii. Confirmation that a fire protection engineer on the A/E’s design team has performed fire alarm, fire suppression, and life safety design for the project.

h. Follow-up technical support shall be provided by the contractor as needed to all facilities to respond to questions regarding the project design review comments.

i. The contractor must inform the VA submitter of potential problems that could interfere with successful completion of the project review within a maximum of three business days after receiving the FLS review request and associated design documents.

C. ACCEPTANCE OR REJECTION OF DELIVERABLES - Reports / documents will be accepted by the VA when all discrepancies, errors or other deficiencies identified in writing by the COR, designee or government representative have been corrected. Electronic copies shall be delivered via email to the VA submitter. The contractor shall use best commercial practice for formatting reports and documents. If the government representative finds that the report/document contains spelling errors, grammatical errors, improper format, or otherwise does not conform to the requirements stated in this PWS, the document may be immediately rejected without further review and returned to the contractor for correction and resubmission.

D. QUALIFICATIONS - FIRE PROTECTION ENGINEER:

a. The Fire Protection Engineer (FPE) who performs the plan review and authors the FLS Review Report must have the following qualifications:

i. Must have obtained an ABET-accredited bachelor’s degree in fire protection engineering or a master’s degree or other advanced degree in fire protection engineering (“fire safety” or similar degrees are not acceptable)

ii. Must have passed the principles and practices (PE) examination in fire protection engineering

iii. Must maintain a current United States-based professional engineering license in fire protection engineering. It is understood that some states do not issue dedicated PE licenses in Fire Protection Engineering; in such cases, an individual’s state licensure must be predicated upon passing the PE examination in fire protection engineering.

b. Five years of experience in application and interpretation of National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Codes and Standards and the model building codes.

c. Five years of experience in the design and review of fire suppression and fire alarm systems, including all the following:

i. Automatic sprinkler and fire alarm system shop drawings.

ii. Automatic sprinkler system hydraulic calculations.

iii. Fire alarm system voltage drop and battery calculations.

iv. Clean agent systems.

v. Standpipe systems.

d. Five years of experience in the application and interpretation of NFPA codes and standards, including, but not limited to, NFPA 1, 3, 4, 10, 13, 14, 17A, 20, 24, 25, 30, 45, 72, 75, 80, 82, 90A, 96, 99, 101, 110, 220, 241, and 2001.

e. Five years of experience in the design of healthcare facilities on projects of similar relevance and complexity.

f. Five years of experience in acceptance testing of fire protection systems.

g. Five years of experience providing fire protection and life safety plan review services for complex health care occupancies (occupancies containing NFPA 101 suites, high-rise buildings, horizontal exits, separated and mixed occupancies, etc.).

1. Substitution of Personnel

All FPEs working on this contract must have their resumes reviewed and approved by the COR and the Contracting Officer. New personnel shall not commence work until all necessary security requirements have been fulfilled, and resumes provided and accepted. The COR or designee will evaluate such requests and promptly notify the contractor of approval or disapproval in writing.

E. GOVERNMENT AND CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES - The VA COR or government designee will provide the contractor with copies of documents that the VA is legally required to provide. The contractor shall request other VA documentation deemed pertinent to the work directly from the COR, government designee or facility representative. The contractor is expected to use common knowledge and resourcefulness in securing all other reference materials, standard industry publications, and related materials that are pertinent to the work without violating any applicable copyright laws. The contractor must evaluate designs based on the references required for the specific project being reviewed. Determining appropriate references may require coordination with the VA COR.

The contractor shall maintain communications with the VA COR, government designee or facility representative as needed to complete the scope of this task. The government will be available for communication (calls, email, etc.) as reasonably needed to complete the scope of this task, subject to COR availability.

The contractor is not required to perform services on the following federal holidays set by law (USC Title 5 Section 6103):

New Year's Day Martin Luther King's Birthday Washington's Birthday Memorial Day Juneteenth Independence Day Independence Day Labor Day Columbus Day Veterans Day Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day

A/E FEE DETERMINATION:

The A/E is to present their fee proposal for evaluation and negotiation in the following format:

A. Submit completed Price Proposal on NCO 15 Form 10-6298. The spreadsheet is to have the work broken out in hours by position, by discipline, and by design phase. Include a list of the number of drawings required for each design phase broken out by drawing type per discipline to the Contracting Officer and COR.

B. Include a letter of understanding with the price proposal that presents a detailed understanding of the Supplement B, price and include a breakout of travel costs.

C. Provide an outline of the Quality Assurance/Quality Control actions that your firm will take during the design process and construction period. Monthly QA/QC reports are required, including actions taken to maintain project quality, schedule and budget, and will be submitted with project invoices using the NCO 15 invoice format.

D. Correction of the A/E’s Errors and Omissions, including required site visits to ascertain remedial action, is included in scope of services at no additional cost to the VA.

E. Provide third-party Life Safety/Fire Protection reviews (at 60% and 90% submittals) by a licensed/qualified firm/engineer.

ESTIMATE SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

A. General - the A/E shall submit a construction cost estimate with the drawings at each project submission. This estimate shall show the cost of construction, which would be expected to be reflected by the construction contractors' bids, if the bids were submitted on the same date as the estimate. The level of detail for this estimate shall be consistent with the degree of completeness of the drawings being submitted. Simply stated, this means that if a construction element is shown, it must be priced; if it is shown in detail, it must be priced in detail. For detailed elements, "lump sum" or "allowance" figures will not be acceptable.

B. Use of Forms - VA Form 10-6238, Estimate Worksheet: This form serves two purposes: (a) to show the division of cost between labor and material for each cost item; and (b) to extend the level of detail of an estimate beyond square foot cost summaries. The estimated costs shall include all labor, materials, mobilization, overhead, insurance, and applicable contractor markup. A/E may utilize their estimate worksheets if approved in advance by the VA.

C. Contracting officer requirements - in addition to submissions to the COR, the A/E shall submit ALL construction cost estimates also to the Contracting Officer. The final construction cost estimate delivered with the 100% specifications and drawings shall be marked “For Official Use Only” and be signed and dated by the Architect. This document will be used as the Independent Government Estimate (IGE) for construction period services.

PROMOTION OF FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION:

A. A/E agrees to assure specifications are not restrictive. Specifications will be based on performance criteria when possible and will not use brand names.

B. If an occasion arises that use of a brand name is necessary, the A/E will provide a justification including:

1. Why the particular brand must be used or why a specification cannot be written (Proprietary design, etc.).

2. The criteria of alternate items must be met to be considered equal.

C. In the event it is necessary to pre-qualify major components the A/E will advise the Contracting

Officer of such, so that the necessary action can be taken to establish a Qualified Products List.

D. In addition to requirements of the special provisions, a certification will be provided stating the solicitation is not restrictive; it has been written to provide full and open competition; and will list at least three manufacturers who can supply major components or systems of the project.

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES:

Construction period services may start immediately following design completion or may extend up to 5 years after the Notice to Proceed of design.

For the duration of the construction contract, the A/E shall.

A. Attend the pre-bid construction conference(s).

B. The Construction Period will commence with the award of the Construction Contract(s) and will end with the completion of close-out documents.

C. The A/E shall act in an advisory and consultant capacity to the Contracting Officer and Contracting

Officer’s Representative. They shall not be the representative of the Contracting Officer on the construction site and shall make no such representation to the Construction Contractor(s) without the specific written approval of the Contracting Officer. The A/E shall have no authority to approve any construction means or methods of work of the Construction Contractor.

D. The A/E shall provide submittal review with final approval being required by the COR. The A/E shall provide prompt responses to all submittals and RFIs issued by the construction contractor within three

(3) business days. Provide periodic site review. These reviews should be documented, and all findings provided to the COR within 3 business days of the review.

E. The A/E shall provide Submittal Exchange or equal (to cover both design and construction), the means necessary to submit large electronic files to VA recipients. Files over 10 MB may not be transmitted through the VA email system. File transfer protocol websites (FTP) are prohibited for use by VA employees. Service should be provided through construction period services and allowed use by construction contractor. Submittal Exchange or equal shall be active from start of project until 6 months after completion of construction project.

AS-BUILT DRAWINGS:

The construction contractor shall furnish the A/E with a marked-up set of prints showing all changes made during the construction period. The A/E shall incorporate into the drawings all changes marked up by the contractor or COR. The A/E shall also incorporate any changes made by solicitation amendments, construction modifications or supplemental information provided to the contractor. These are due to the VA within 15 days of receipt of redline drawings from the construction contractor.

A/E firm shall submit one (1) complete set of record drawings provided on disc using AutoCAD 2019 (or newer) in a version acceptable to the VA and also .pdf format. Models should be provided in a Revit version acceptable to the VA. Layering shall be per format already built into the program.

CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS – INTERPRETATION:

The A/E, when requested, shall assist the contracting officer and the contracting officer’s representative (COR) to interpret the construction documents and recommend any actions they deem suitable for the satisfactory prosecution of the construction work. The A/E shall prepare any supplemental drawings, specifications or other documents that may be required to clarify or supplement the construction documents at no cost. The A/E shall assess the preparation of the construction contract modifications initiated by or through the VA to be executed in accordance with the construction documents.

CONTRACTOR'S COST PROPOSALS:

The A/E shall review all Government initiated and or the construction contractors’ cost proposals for construction modifications when requested by the COR. The A/E’s review of cost proposals shall include an independent breakdown of costs in detail with quantities and unit prices. This shall be true for both additions and deductions of labor, materials, and equipment.

SHOP DRAWINGS AND SUBMITTALS:

The A/E shall check Government furnished and/or the Construction Contractor's shop drawings, detail drawings, schedules, descriptive literature and samples, testing laboratory reports, field test data and review the color, texture and suitability of materials for conformity with the design concept and construction documents. The A/E shall recommend approval, disapproval, or other suitable disposition. They shall evaluate the submittals with reference to any companion submittals that constitute a system. When necessary, the A/E will, through the COR, request the Contractor to submit related components of a system before acting on a single component. Should this procedure be inappropriate, the A/E shall review all prior submittals for related components of the system before acting on a single component. The A/E may be required to hold joint reviews with the VA technical staff on complicated system submittals.

The A/E shall notify the COR in writing of any and all deviations from the requirements of the construction documents that they have found in the Construction Contractor's submittals. Such responsibility shall be carried out with reasonable promptness to cause no delay. Submittals should take no more than 7 working days to review. Requests for Information should be responded to as soon as possible but no longer than 72 hours.