RFQ info A E Services 9.2.2026.docx

1. RFQ

2. Architecture and Engineering (A/E) Services Prices/Costs Contract Type: Firm Fixed Price

1. Design and Construction Documents

2. Construction Period Services

3. Description/Specifications/Work Statement Statement of Work Architect-Engineer (A/E) Services – Judicial Office Space Renovation

1.0 Project Background

The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC)requires professional Architect-Engineer (A/E) services to evaluate, plan, and design the repurposing of approximately 2,200 square feet located in the Markey National Courts Building. The existing area currently consists of executive level judicial office space and will be reconfigured and renovated to same.

The objective of this project is to deliver complete, biddable, and constructible design documents to support phased construction to renovate the space to current US Court Design Guide and local court standards for executive judicial office space.

The building will remain occupied during the design and construction, and the design shall account for any needed phasing, safety of occupants, and protection of existing building systems.

2.0 Project Objectives

The A/E shall design a work environment that:

2. Enhances the space's functionality.

3. Is appropriate for executive judicial occupancy.

4. Maintains continuous life safety protection and security during phased construction.

5. Incorporates sustainable design principles and the newest technology.

6. Meets all applicable federal, state, and local codes and standards.

3.0 Scope of A/E Services

The A/E shall provide all labor, supervision, technical expertise, and professional services required to support the project from initial space assessment through preparation of construction documents suitable for procurement and construction.

Refer to attached Statement of Work for technical requirements.

3.1 Codes and Standards

The design shall comply with applicable federal codes and standards but not limited to:

· International Building Code (IBC)

· Applicable federal facility criteria

· NFPA codes and standards

· ASHRAE standards and guidelines

· ADA requirements

· Local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) requirements A comprehensive Code Analysis Narrative shall be included at the 35% design submission.

4.0 Project Design Requirements

Following Court approval of the concept plan, the A/E shall proceed with design. The A/E design shall:

· Design interiors, furniture, HVAC, telecommunication, electrical, plumbing, and fire suppression systems

· HVAC duct work shall be removed and replaced in its entirety within the suite with new to ensure proper air flow to new layout. Existing duct work has tested positive for asbestos in some areas due to mastic used. Coordination with and integration into existing building hvac controls system required.

· Determine what different uses will be offered in the specific space and design accordingly.

· Ensure compliance with all codes and standards.

5.0 Design Deliverables

All submittals shall be provided in electronic format unless otherwise directed by the Court. Refer to attached Statement of Work for deliverables requirements.

6.0 Cost Estimating Requirements

The A/E shall provide independent construction cost estimates for each major submission milestone.

Estimates shall:

· Utilize RS Means or equivalent cost database.

· Include escalation through anticipated award date.

· Include contingency.

· Be formatted by CSI divisions.

7.0 Safety

Due to the age of CAFC facilities, some hazardous materials such as lead and asbestos may be expected to be encountered during the project. Asbestos and lead based paint testing should be included in the design services fee.

8.0 Court-Furnished Information (GFI)

The CAFC will provide:

· Available as-built drawings.

· Facility access coordination.

· The A/E is responsible for field verification.

9.0 Agency Operations Information – Refer to attached NCB Contractor Access Requirements for additional information

9.1 Hours of Service

The Contractor shall perform services during normal CAFC business hours unless otherwise directed by the Contracting Officer (CO).

· Normal Business Hours: Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

· After-Hours Work: Monday through Friday, 5:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m., Saturday and Holidays, 8:00 a.m. through 3:30 p.m. Certain tasks may require performance outside normal business hours, including evenings, weekends, or Federal holidays, to support CAFC operations, emergency response, or to minimize disruption to occupants. After-hours work shall be coordinated in advance with the COR and shall be approved by the CO.

· No overtime, premium pay, or schedule changes will be authorized unless approved in advance by the CO.

· Work may not be performed during court week which is the first full week of the month.

9.2 Identification Badges and Security Access

All Contractor personnel requiring access to CAFC facilities shall comply with CAFC security and badging requirements. Contractor personnel shall obtain and always visibly display CAFC-issued identification badges while on CAFC property. Contractor personnel may be denied access or have badges revoked for failure to comply with security policies or conduct standards. Refer to attached NCB Contractor Access Requirements for additional security and access requirements.

9.3 Parking and Transportation

There is no onsite parking available. CAFC will not validate or make reimbursement for parking violations of the Contractor's personnel under any circumstances. Unauthorized parking on CAFC property may result in citation, towing or revocation of site access privileges.

9.4 Conduct and Compliance

Contractor personnel shall conduct themselves in a professional manner consistent with the operational environment of a Federal judicial complex. Smoking, tobacco use, or e-cigarettes are prohibited inside and outside of all CAFC buildings. No individual is permitted to bring illegal drugs, alcohol or firearms of any type onto a Court installation. Disruptive behavior, failure to follow access procedures, or noncompliance with CAFC rules may result in removal from the site and replacement at no additional cost to the Court.

9.5 Contractor Responsibility

The Contractor shall be responsible for all facilities in which the work will take place and to also be familiar with the conditions under which the work will be accomplished. The Contractor shall inspect existing conditions prior to commencing work, including elements subject to damage or movement during the project. Should the work create dust, water or mud, the Contractor shall be responsible for cleaning the floors and walls. The Contractor shall be responsible for the removal and replacement of all ceiling tiles affected by the work.

4. Section D – Not Used

5. Section E - Inspection and Acceptance Terms

E.1 RESPONSIBILITY FOR INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

The Contracting Officer's Representative (COR), as appointed/designated by letter per the information listed in Section G of this document, is the Court's official responsible for inspection and acceptance of required services under the terms and conditions of this contract. The Court may designate additional representative(s) to provide periodic inspections or observations during the performance of this contract. However, Court inspections are for the sole benefit of the Court and do not relieve the Contractor of its responsibilities to provide adequate quality control for the works described in the SOW. Plans and Specifications. The Contractor is responsible for inspection of its own work to ensure that all work performed conforms to the terms and conditions of the contract.

6. Section F - Delivery or Performance

F.1 NOTICE TO PROCEED

The Contractor shall not commence work until receipt of a written NTP from the Contracting Officer.

F.2 NOTICE TO THE COURT OF DELAYS

In the event the Contractor encounters difficulty in meeting performance requirements, or when the Contractor anticipates difficulty in complying with the delivery schedule or completion date, or whenever the Contractor has knowledge that any actual or potential situation is delaying or threatens to delay the timely performance of this requirement, the Contractor must immediately notify the Contracting Officer and the COR, in writing, giving pertinent details provided, however, that this data shall be informational only in character and that this provision shall not be construed as a waiver by the Court of any delivery schedule or date, or any rights or remedies provided by law or under this contract.

7. Section G - Contract Administration Data

G.1 CONTRACT MANAGEMENT

Notwithstanding the Contractor's responsibility for total management responsibility during the performance of the contract, the administration of the contract will require maximum coordination with the CAFC points of contact during performance of the contract.

G.2 CONTRACTING OFFICER (CO) AND CONTRACTING OFFICER'S REPRESENTATIVE (COR)

Joseph Tembo, Supervisory Contracting Officer temboj@cafc.uscourts.gov Kieran Haney, Contracting Officer, haneyk@cafc.uscourts.gov Contracting Officer's Representative (COR): Pamela Patrick, patrickp@cafc.uscourts.gov The COR may be changed at any time by CAFC without prior notice to the Contractor, through unilateral modification to the contract.

An administrative letter issued by the Contracting Officer which designates the COR will be provided separately to the Contractor.

G.3 CONTRACTING OFFICER'S AUTHORITY

The Contracting Officer is the only person authorized to make or approve any changes in any of the requirements of this contract and notwithstanding any provisions contained elsewhere in this contract, the said authority remains solely the Contracting Officer's. In the event the Contractor makes any changes at the direction of any person other than the Contracting Officer, the change will be considered to have been made at the contractor's risk. No adjustment will be made in the contract terms and conditions of this contract, including price.

G.4 CONTRACTING OFFICER'S REPRESENTATIVE (COR)

The COR is responsible for the technical aspects of the project and serves as technical liaison with the Contractor. The COR is also responsible for the final inspection and acceptance of all products, services, reports, and such other responsibilities as may be specified in this contract. The COR is not authorized to make any commitments or otherwise obligate the CAFC or authorize any changes, which affect the Contract price, terms or conditions. Any Contractor request for changes shall be referred to the Contracting Officer directly or through the COR. No such changes shall be made without the expressed prior authorization of the Contracting Officer.

If the Contractor performs a service that alters the current cost, quantity, or scope without prior written approval from the CO, the Contractor does so at his/her own risk. The COR may designate assistant COR(s) to act for the COR by naming such assistant(s) in writing and transmitting a copy of such designation through the Contracting Officer to the Contractor.

The COR is not authorized to make any commitments or otherwise obligate the CAFC or authorize any changes, which affect the quantity, quality, scope or Contract price. All requests for changes shall be referred to the Contracting Officer directly or through the COR. No such changes shall be made without the expressed prior authorization of the Contracting Officer. If the Contractor performs a service that alters the current cost, quantity, or scope without prior written approval from the CO, the Contractor does so at his/her own risk. The COR may designate an alternate COR(s) to act for the COR by naming such alternate(s) in writing and transmitting a copy of such designation through the Contracting Officer to the Contractor.

G.5 MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS, NOVATIONS, AND CHANGE-OF-NAME AGREEMENTS

If a contractor merges, is acquired, or recognizes a successor in interest to Court contracts when contractor assets are transferred; or, recognizes a change in a contractor's name; or, executes novation agreements and change-of-name agreements, the contractor shall notify the CO and provide a copy of the novation or other any other agreement that changes the status of the contractor.

Title 41 U.S.C. 6305 prohibits the transfer of Court contracts from an awardee to a third party. However, the Court may, when in its interest, novate an awardee's contract to a third party when there is a transfer of all of the awardee's assets or the entire portion of the assets involved in the performance of the contract.

For a novation to be approved by the CO, the following elements shall occur:

a. The company shall submit a novation agreement with all the required legal elements. The novation agreement shall include the transfer of personnel performing work under the contract and any awarded delivery orders, as applicable. c. The novation agreement shall be determined by the CO to be in the best interest of the Court.

8. Section H - Special Contract Requirements

H.1 KEY PERSONNEL

Certain experienced professionals and/or technical personnel are essential for successful accomplishment of the work to be performed under this contract. Such personnel are defined as "Key Personnel" and are those persons whose resumes were submitted for evaluation of the proposal. The contractor agrees that such personnel shall not be removed from the contract or replaced without compliance with the following:

a) The personnel specified under this contract are essential to the work the contractor agrees to perform hereunder be essential to the work. The contractor agrees that personnel may not be removed from the contract work or replaced without compliance with paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section.

b) If one or more of the key personnel, for whatever reason, becomes, or is expected to become, unavailable for work under this contract for a continuous period exceeding 30 work days, or is expected to devote substantially less effort to the work than indicated in the proposal or initially anticipated, the contractor shall immediately notify the Contracting Officer and shall, subject to the concurrence of the contracting officer, promptly replace the personnel with personnel of at least substantially equal ability and qualifications. Personnel must be replaced within 30 days of the contractor leaving the Agency. This substitution must be pre-vetted and able to pass through our background check by our Security Services unit.

c) Each request for approval of substitutions must be in writing and contain a detailed explanation of the circumstances necessitating the proposed substitutions. The request must also contain a complete resume for the proposed substitute and other information requested or needed by the contracting officer to evaluate the proposed substitution. The Contracting Officer and the Contracting Officer's Representative shall evaluate the contractor's request, and the contracting officer shall promptly notify the contractor of his or her decision in writing.

d) If the Contracting Officer determines that suitable and timely replacement of key personnel who have been reassigned, terminated, or have otherwise become unavailable for the contract work is not reasonably forthcoming, or that the resultant reduction of productive effort would be so substantial as to impair the successful completion of the contract or the service order, the contract may be terminated by the contracting officer for default or for the convenience of the Court, as appropriate. If the Contracting Officer finds the contractor at fault for the condition, the contract price or profit/fixed fee may be equitably adjusted downward to compensate the Court for any resultant delay, loss, or damage.

The Key Personnel Positions under this contract are:

H.2 CONTRACTOR'S EMPLOYEES IDENTIFICATION AND COURT CONTRACTOR RELATIONS

a. All contractor personnel when attending meetings, sending emails, or participating on telephone calls shall identify themselves as contractor personnel. Identification in meetings and on Microsoft Teams shall be at the beginning of the call or meeting to allow Court personnel to excuse contractors if appropriate.

b. Contractor personnel shall identify themselves with their company name in the signature block of emails.

c. The contractor shall not perform any inherently judicial actions under this contract. No contractor employee shall hold him or herself out to be a Court employee, agent, or representative. No contractor employee shall state orally or in writing at any time that he or she is acting on behalf of the Court. No Employer-employee relationship exists of will exist under this Contract. Contractor's employees shall not:

i. Be placed in a position where they are under the supervision, direction, or evaluation of a Court employee. ii. Be placed in a position of command, supervision, administration or control over Court personnel, or over personnel of other contractors under other CAFC's contracts or become a part of the Court organization. iii. Be used in administration or supervision of Court procurement activities.

d. The services to be performed under this contract do not require the contractor of his employees to exercise personal judgment and discretion on behalf of the Court. Rather, contractor personnel will act and exercise personal judgment and discretion on behalf of the contractor.

H.3 INSURANCE

Neither CAFC nor the US Court shall in any event be liable or responsible for any damage or injury to any person or property occasioned by the actions of the Contractor or Contractor's employees in performing under this contract. The Contractor must maintain adequate insurance with the proper coverage limits, including general liability and professional liability insurances, and others if needed, during the term of this contract, insuring the contractor against any claims for injury or damage.

H.4 DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION

There shall be no dissemination or publication, except within and between the Contractor and any Subcontractors, of information developed under this contract or contained in the reports to be furnished pursuant to this contract without prior written approval of the Contracting Officer and Contracting Officer's Representative(s). Language similar to this provision shall be included in all subcontracts to this contract. This provision includes news releases: blogs, posts, and published papers.

H.5 NOTIFICATION OF DEBARMENT/SUSPENSION STATUS

The Contractor shall provide written notice to the Contracting Officer within ten (10) calendar days of being suspended, debarred, or declared ineligible by any Department or other Federal Agency, or upon receipt of a notice of proposed debarment during the performance of this contract.

H.6 CONTRACTOR'S PERSONNEL BUSINESS ETHICS AND CONDUCT

The Contractor shall exercise due diligence on personnel to be engaged under this contract.

H.7 CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

a. It is understood and agreed that some of the work required hereunder may place the Contractor, or its personnel or its subcontractors or their personnel (hereinafter referred to collectively as Contractor), in the position of having a potential personal or organizational conflict of interest (OCI), i.e., because of other activities or relationships with other persons,

(1) the Contractor is unable or potentially unable to render impartial assistance or advice; or (2) the Contractor objectivity in performing the Contract is or might be impaired; or (3) the Contractor may receive an unfair competitive advantage; or (4) the Contractor may have a financial or other personal interest which would or potentially would impair his/her objectivity and/or from which he/she would improperly benefit.

The performance/actions of personnel under this Contract will be imputed to the Contractor (or subcontractor) by whom they are employed or retained, and the performance/actions of any subcontractor will be imputed to the Contractor, unless the Contractor, on a case-by-case basis, can demonstrate otherwise and satisfy the Contracting Officer that such imputation is unreasonable.

b. If it is discovered that the Contractor engaged in any activities which constitute a potential or actual conflict without having first obtained the Contracting Officer's approval to undertake such activities; or if it is subsequently discovered that, notwithstanding the Contracting Officer's authorization to undertake the activity based on his/her initial determination that no significant potential conflict existed or appeared to exist, a conflict did, in fact exist or arise, restrictions, on the Contractor future activities may be placed unilaterally by the Contracting Officer for this contract or the Contracting Officer for such other contract as may be involved in the conflict, and other remedies (including termination of this contract for default, debarment or suspension, and those permitted by the clauses of this contract entitled Cancellation, Rescission and Recovery of Funds for Illegal or Improper Activity and Price or Fee Adjustment for Illegal or Improper Activity may be taken by CAFC.

H.8 RESTRICTIONS AGAINST DISCLOSURE

The Contractor agrees, in the performance of this contract, to keep the information furnished by the Court or acquired/developed by the Contractor in performance of the contract and designated by the Contracting Officer or Contracting Officer's Representative, in the strictest confidence. The Contractor also agrees not to publish or otherwise divulge such information, in whole or in part, in any manner or form, nor to authorize or permit others to do so, taking such reasonable measures as are necessary to restrict access to such information while in the Contractor's possession, to those employees needing such information to perform the work described herein, i.e., on a need to know basis. The Contractor agrees to immediately notify the Contracting Officer in writing in the event that the Contractor determines or has reason to suspect a breach of this requirement has occurred.

All Contractor staff working on any of the described tasks may, at Court request, be required to sign formal non-disclosure and/or conflict of interest agreements to guarantee the protection and integrity of Court information and documents.

The Contractor shall insert the substance of this special contract requirement, including this paragraph (c), in all subcontracts when requiring a restriction on the release of information developed or obtained in connection with the performance of the contract.

H.9 PROTECTION OF PROPERTY

Contractor Responsibility. If due to the default, negligence (whether of action or omission) and/or dishonesty of the Contractor or its employees, any Court-owned or controlled property is lost or damaged as a result of the Contractor's performance of this contract, the Contractor shall be responsible to the Court for such loss or damage, and the Court at its option, may, in lieu of payment therefore, require the Contractor to replace at its own expense, all property lost or damaged. The Contractor shall protect materials in his custody against the transportation, fire, theft, weather, and other hazards avoidance in the exercise of the "highest degree of care."

H.10 STANDARDS OF CONDUCT

a. When the Contractor is onsite at the courthouse, the Contractor shall be responsible for maintaining satisfactory standards of employee competency, conduct, appearance, and integrity. Each employee or supervisor of the Contractor is expected to adhere to the rules associated with that federal building, and to adhere to standards of behavior that reflect credit on themselves, their employer, and the Federal Court.

b. The Contractor shall be responsible for taking such disciplinary action, including suspension without pay or removal from the worksite, with respect to its employees, as may be necessary to enforce those standards.

c. Where applicable, the requirements of this clause shall be expressly incorporated into subcontract(s) and shall be applicable to all Sub-Contractor employees who may perform services or work at the federal building and grounds of this contract.

H.11 COOPERATION WITH OTHER ON-SITE CONTRACTORS

When the Court undertakes or awards other contracts for additional work at the facilities, the Contractor shall:

a. Fully cooperate with the other Contractors and Court employees, and

b. Carefully fit its own work to such other additional contracted work as may be directed by the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR). The Contractor shall not commit or permit any act which shall interfere with the performance of work awarded to another Contractor or with the performance of other Court employees.

c. In any case where, in the course of fulfilling the contract requirements, the Contractor disturbs any work guaranteed under another separate contract, the Contractor shall restore such disturbed work to a condition satisfactory to the COR and guarantee such restored work to the same extent as it was guaranteed under the applicable other contract.

H.12 WORK ON A COURT INSTALLATION

In performing onsite work under this contract on a Court installation or in a Court building, the Contractor shall:

(1) Conform to the specific safety requirements established by the contract. (2) Comply with the safety rules of the Court installation that concern related activities not directly addressed in this contract. (3) Take all reasonable steps and precautions to prevent accidents and preserve the life and health of Contractor and Court personnel connected in any way with performance under this contract. (4) Take such additional immediate precautions as the Contracting Officer or Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) may reasonably require for safety and accident prevention purposes. (5) Conform to all required security requirements. (6) [text not provided in source]

9. Section I - Contract Clauses

I.1 REGULATIONS GOVERNING PROCUREMENT

The primary governing authority for this procurement is the Guide to Judiciary Policy Volume 14: Procurement.

10. Section J - List of Documents, Exhibits, and other Attachments

· Attachment – SOW – Architect-Engineer (A/E) Services

· Attachment – NCB Contractor Access Requirements

11. Section L - Instructions, Conditions and Notices to Offerors Key Dates

Site Visit —No site visit will be available

L.1 GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION OF PROPOSAL

a. Offerors are fully responsible for the accuracy, completeness, and compliance with all proposal instructions set forth in the RFP. The penalty for making false statements to the Court is prescribed in 18 U.S.C. 1001.

b. Offerors are expected to be sufficiently knowledgeable of CAFC's Infrastructure and Oversight activities to adequately prepare their offers and other proposal information to be submitted under this solicitation.

c. Section L provides instructions and other information related to the preparation of a proposal. Offerors are cautioned to follow all instructions carefully to ensure the Court receives all requested information in a form that will facilitate proposal evaluation. These instructions are not evaluation factors for this solicitation: Evaluation factors are contained in Section M. Failure to provide all required information may eliminate a proposal from consideration or may make an offeror ineligible for award.

d. The term "Offeror" as used in this solicitation refers to the single legal entity named in the Offer. The legal entity must be a discrete entity separate from any other organization and may consist of the offeror team arrangement with multiple team members. The Offeror is solely responsible for work performed under the contract resulting from this solicitation. The single legal entity must be incorporated or otherwise legally established on or before the date of proposal submission. Any and all team members comprising the legal entity must sign the Performance Guarantee.

e. If an Offeror does not follow the instructions set forth herein, the Court may determine an offer to be unacceptable or the Offeror's proposal may be eliminated from further consideration or the proposal may be downgraded and not receive full or partial credit under the applicable evaluation criteria.

f. This solicitation does not commit the Court to pay any costs incurred in the submission of any offer and other written and oral information, or in making necessary studies or designs for the preparation thereof or to acquire or contract for any services.

g. Any exceptions or deviations taken by the Offeror to the terms and conditions stated in this solicitation for inclusion in the resulting contract may make the offer unacceptable for award without discussions.

h. Single Awards. It is the intent of the Court to award one contract as a result of this solicitation. The Court reserves the right to make one or more awards based upon the number of acceptable proposals received and the availability of funding.

i. If an Offeror does not understand the instructions in this Solicitation, then it should write to the contracting officer for clarification sufficiently in advance of the deadline for the receipt of proposals in order to obtain an answer in time to meet that deadline.

j. Amendments to solicitations – If this solicitation is amended, all terms and conditions that are not amended remain unchanged. Offerors shall acknowledge receipt of any amendment to this solicitation by the date and time specified in the amendment(s).

L.2 PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS

(a) Submission of proposed costs/prices as required by Section B and L of this RFP.

(d) Submission of information required by Section L or any other section of this RFP. The submission of these items in accordance with these instructions will, if the Court accepts the offer, contractually bind the Court and the successful Offeror to the terms and conditions of the prospective contract. Offerors must follow the instructions contained in this RFP and supply all information as required.

(c) The Proposal submitted in response to this Solicitation must be no longer than 60 pages single spaced in A4 or 8.5"x11" size paper. Only Times New Roman 11-point or larger fonts will be accepted. Bolding, underlining and Italics may be used to identify topic demarcations or points of emphasis. Graphic presentations, including tables, while not subject to the same font size and spacing requirements, must have spacing and text that is easily readable, and may be multicolored. Title pages and tables of content are included in the total page count.

(d) The first page of the proposal must show: (i) The solicitation number, The name, address, and telephone and facsimile numbers of the Offeror (and electronic address if available); and, (ii) Names, titles, and telephone and facsimile numbers (and electronic addresses if available) of persons authorized to negotiate on the Offeror's behalf with the Court in connection with this solicitation.

General Instructions:

(a) Instructions outlined in paragraph L.3 below prescribe the format for the proposal and describe the approach for the development and presentation of proposal data. These instructions are designed to ensure the submission of necessary information to provide for the understanding and comprehensive evaluation.

(b) If an offeror believes that the requirements in these instructions contain an error, ambiguity, omission, or are otherwise deemed unsound, the offeror shall immediately notify the Contracting Officer in writing with supporting rationale. The offeror is reminded that the Court reserves the right to award this requirement based on the initial proposal, as received, without discussions.

L.3 PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS

The Offeror's proposal must be submitted as an Adobe PDF Portfolio. A PDF portfolio is a special type of PDF file that acts as a container for multiple files of different formats. When the email comes in, we will only see one portfolio file.

Proposal Format: Offerors shall submit one complete, electronic version of their proposal. The portfolio shall consist of seven (7) volumes. Moreover, Offerors shall enclose each volume as a separate file in the PDF portfolio. The required volumes are as follows:

· Volume 1: Signed RFQ form and Company Information

· Volume 2: Technical Capability

· Volume 3: Design Management Approach

· Volume 4: Key Personnel

· Volume 5: Draft Schedule

· Volume 6: Past Performance

· Volume 7: Cost/Price Proposal Proposal Content:

Volume 1: Signed RFQ form and Company Information The offeror must fill in Blocks 12-18 of the SF33 and submit a signed copy the SF 33 in this volume. Volume 1 must also include the following:

1. System for Award Management (SAM) registration information,

2. W-9 - Vendor Address and Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and

3. A Company Point of Contact, including the email address and phone number.

Volume 2 - Technical Capability The Offeror's response to this volume must clearly demonstrate the offeror's knowledge and expertise managing design projects in commercial or federal/judicial properties of similar size and scope. This volume shall include a description of the offeror's workforce and how its personnel will be mobilized to ensure that sufficient qualified personnel will be available. This description should indicate roles that will be filled with offerors own personnel vs sub-contractors.

Offerors must submit a detailed narrative, not exceeding five pages, that:

· Describes the company's experience delivering design services similar in scope to the work being solicited.

· Demonstrates capability, depth of experience, and understanding of the required design disciplines.

· Describes the offeror's workforce and how its personnel will be mobilized to ensure that sufficient qualified personnel will be available Offerors must identify at least three projects of similar scope and complexity, and provide a summary of each, the dates of performance, the total dollar value, the contract number and agency (if applicable), and at least one point of contact, and images of the designs.

Volume 3 - Design Management Approach The Offeror shall describe a structured, end-to-end process for managing the design through construction, including:

· Establishing design objectives, milestones, and deliverables

· Coordinating all design disciplines from concept through final design

· Managing design progress, schedule, and documentation

· Ensuring alignment with project requirements, codes, and conceptual drawings A strong approach demonstrates clear control mechanisms, communication pathways, and decision-making processes.

Volume 4 - Key Personnel The Offeror shall propose Key Personnel who clearly possess the education, experience, and technical skills required to perform their duties independently with minimal supervision, as outlined in the Statement of Work (SOW). The Court will evaluate the qualifications, experience, and capabilities of the proposed Key Personnel to determine the extent to which they meet or exceed the requirements of this solicitation. Each position shall be filled by one full-time equivalent (FTE) for the total duration of this project. The key personnel specified below are essential to the work being performed under this contract. All personnel shall possess the minimum education and experience identified in the Statement of Work and Section M of this solicitation. The Court reserves the right to interview all proposed Key Personnel, with the Contracting Officer (CO) notifying Offerors of the date and time for interviews.

The Court will evaluate the following key personnel for this solicitation:

· Project Manager

· Licensed Architect

· Licensed Mechanical Professional Engineer

· Licensed Electrical Professional Engineer

· Licensed Fire Protection Engineer

· Cost Estimator Offerors must provide proof of adequate and qualified personnel for each key personnel identified in the Statement of Work. A clear organizational structure should be outlined, demonstrating how key personnel will be managed throughout the project. The following must be included in the proposal for submission of key personnel: Resumes outlining responsibilities, credentials (licenses and certifications), experience, and education for all individuals proposed as key personnel.

Volume 5 – Draft Schedule The Offeror shall submit a Draft Schedule that includes all major design phases, milestones, review periods, and coordination activities necessary to complete the effort. The schedule should clearly demonstrate logical sequencing, and duration of tasks. The Offeror shall describe its approach to maintaining schedule performance, including methods for adapting to revisions, managing delays, and mitigating potential impacts to the overall timeline.

Volume 6 - Past Performance Past performance information is one indicator of an offeror's ability to perform the contract successfully. Offerors must demonstrate a pattern of past performance in accordance with the evaluation criteria in Section M. The past performance questionnaire provided as Attachment shall be completed by customer references. The offeror's proposal submission must include a minimum of three completed past performance questionnaires, but no more than five completed questionnaires, to enable proper evaluation.

Volume 7 - Cost/Price Proposal The price proposal shall include a narrative that explains the basis for the proposed price. The price in the proposal must be referenced as outlined below.

Each Offeror shall provide a cost proposal with supporting information in sufficient detail to allow a complete analysis of cost and price.

Part 1 – Firm Fixed Price The Offeror must submit two firm fixed prices. One for the Design Phase Services (through Construction Documents). One for the Construction Period Services.

Part 2 - Cost/Price Proposal Narrative The Offeror must submit a budget narrative, in Microsoft Word format, discussing and substantiating the cost for each line item – this includes a budget narrative for the prime Offeror's prices/costs, and the proposed subcontractor(s) process/costs.

The Offeror must clearly explain the basis of costs, i.e. why and how it determined certain figures for equipment, training, items or services, to establish the reasonableness of costs. The Offeror must provide a clear and thorough explanation for each budgeted line-item amount.

Offeror should explain its assumptions in determining why the proposed unit/quantity aligns with its overall technical approach in order to address why these costs are considered realistic.

L.3 SUBMISSION, MODIFICATION, REVISION, AND WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSALS

(a) Paper submissions will NOT be accepted.

(b) The mandatory method for submission of proposals and revisions to the proposal is through electronic mail to the following address: pcs@cafc.uscourts.gov.

(c) Electronic versions of proposals shall be submitted prior to the closing date and time. Received submissions will be acknowledged via email.

(d) Offerors must include the solicitation number in all correspondences, including submission of questions and proposals. Questions received after the deadline will not be answered.

(e) Offerors are responsible for submitting proposals, and any modifications and revisions by the time specified in the solicitation. Any proposal, modification, or revision received at the Court office designated in the solicitation after the exact time specified for receipt of offers is "late" and will not be considered for award.

(f) The Offeror must designate a point-of-contact (POC) for all communications associated with this solicitation. Contact information for the POC must be provided.

(g) The point of contact responsible for supplying additional information and answering all inquiries is the Contracting Officer and Contract Specialist. All questions regarding this solicitation shall be submitted in writing via email to pcs@cafc.uscourts.gov Valid acceptance of offers. The offeror agrees to hold the prices in its offer firm for 180 days from the specified for receipt of offers, unless another time period is specified followed by an amendment to the solicitation.

13. Section M - Evaluation Factors for Award

M.1 GENERAL INFORMATION

a. To be acceptable and eligible for evaluation, proposals must be prepared in accordance with Section L and must meet all the requirements set forth in the other sections of this solicitation. The Court will make an initial review of proposals to determine compliance with these instructions. The Court may determine an Offeror to be unacceptable and exclude it from further consideration for failure to comply with Section L.

b. The Court may award without discussions with the Offerors. Therefore, Offerors are advised to submit their best technical and price proposals. When evaluating the competing Offerors, the Court will consider the written information provided by the Offerors and any other information obtained by the Court through its own research.

c. Evaluations focus on the information included in the proposal, resumes, experience, and the Offeror's past performance review(s), and other information provided by the Offeror. The submitted technical information will be evaluated by a technical evaluation committee using the technical acceptability criteria shown on the following pages. The Court intends to conduct the evaluation and source selection process as detailed in Sections M.2 and M.3.

d. The Offerors must submit the proposal in response to this solicitation for all CLIN(s) listed in Section B of this solicitation.

e. Award: The Court intends to award one contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible Offeror whose proposal represents the best value to the Court. The Court also reserves the right to award more than one contract and/or not to award contract in response to this solicitation.

f. The basis for award will be best value. Offerors are cautioned that the award is not guaranteed to the lowest priced proposal. The Court intends to rate the proposals based off a tradeoff analysis.

M.2 DETERMINATION OF COMPETITIVE RANGE

a. The competitive range of Offerors with whom negotiations will be conducted will be determined by the contracting officer. A competitive range determination (if deemed necessary) may take place at any point in the evaluation process.

b. The Contracting Officer may determine that the number of most highly rated proposals that might otherwise be included in the competitive range exceeds the number at which an efficient competition can be conducted. Should that be the case, the Contracting Officer may then limit offers in the competitive range to the greatest number that will permit an efficient competition among the most highly rated offers.

M.3 SOURCE SELECTION

a. The Court intends to evaluate Offerors in accordance with Section M of this RFP. Award will be made to the responsible Offeror whose proposal represents the best value to the US Court after evaluation, in accordance with all factors in this solicitation.

b. If the Contracting Officer determines that competing technical proposals are essentially equal, cost/price factors may become the determining factor in source selection. Conversely, if the Contracting Officer determines that competing price proposals are essentially equal, technical factors may become the determining factor in source selection. Further, the Contracting officer may award to a higher priced Offeror if a determination is made that the higher technical evaluation of that Offeror merits the additional cost/price.

c. Responsibility Determination: The Contracting Officer will conduct a responsibility determination for the successful offeror.

M.4 BASIS FOR AWARD

The Court will evaluate each proposal.

The technical evaluation factors are listed in descending order of importance. All evaluation factors when combined are more important than price. No rating will be performed on proposals determined to be non-responsive to the RFP. The Court reserves the right to exclude any offer rated "marginal" in Factors 1 through 4 from award consideration.

Offerors should note that these criteria serve as the standard against which all technical information will be evaluated and serve to identify the significant matters which offerors should address.

M.5 TECHNICAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

The following evaluation rating descriptions will be used to evaluate Factors 1-4:

1. Technical Capability – Factor 1 The Court will evaluate the depth and relevance of the firm's design experience, the offeror's demonstrated expertise in the specific design disciplines required, the firm's experience with projects of similar size, scope, and complexity, and the offeror's plan for mobilizing its workforce to satisfy the objectives of the statement of work. The responses to this volume must clearly demonstrate the offeror's knowledge and expertise managing design projects in either the commercial or federal environment of varying size and scope. Offerors must possess at least five (5) years of corporate experience performing relevant design services.

2. Design Management Approach – Factor 2 The Court will assess the Offeror's ability to manage the execution of its design effort through a construction contractor. The design management approach should follow a structured, end-to-end process. This includes evaluating the clarity and effectiveness of the Offeror's approach to:

· Establishing design objectives, milestones, and deliverables

· Managing design progress, schedule, and documentation through construction

· Ensuring alignment with project requirements, applicable codes, and the conceptual drawings provided The Court will consider how well the proposed methodology demonstrates control mechanisms, communication pathways, and decision-making processes.

3. Key Personnel – Factor 3 Proposed key personnel must clearly demonstrate the appropriate level of depth and breadth of relevant knowledge, education, and skills to fully function independently with minimum supervision. Key personnel are essential to the work being performed. The education, experience, and capabilities of key personnel will be evaluated to determine the degree to which they possess the qualifications to perform their proposed duties under the contract. The Court will evaluate the following key personnel for this solicitation.

Evaluation Includes:

· Relevant project experience on similar renovation and MEP projects.

· Professional qualifications and licenses. (RA, PE)

· Defined roles and team structure.

· Capacity and availability to perform the work.

4. Schedule – Factor 4 The Court will evaluate…