CostEstimating_SourcesSought.doc

Sources Sought Cost Estimating AE Services

W912DY-09-R-0022

Posting Date: 3 March 2009 Closing Date: 1April 2009, 12:00 pm CST

(THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL(RFP))

CONTRACT INFORMATION: The U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville (CEHNC) will select an architect and engineering (AE) firm to estimate cost and schedules for projects that it plans to award. These projects will be of an undetermined number, and of varying size and complexity. Work will be conducted within the continental United States (CONUS). This work will aid the Cost Estimating Branch of the Cost Engineering Division with its short term and short suspense excess workload on programs/projects managed by the CEHNC. A firm or firms will be selected for negotiations based on demonstrated competence and professional qualifications for the required work. The contract will consist of one (1) base year and four (4) option years, each period not to exceed one year, for a total of five years maximum. The Government is interested in finding those AE firms that will best meet its needs while also meeting the small business utilization goals it has set. It has not been determined if this award will be restricted to small business or unrestricted. The information gathered in the sources sought below will be used to determine if small businesses possess the capability to execute all the requirements within this acquisition. The total amount for the awarded contract over the five (5) year ordering period is not anticipated to exceed $12 Million. The applicable NAICS code for this work is 541330 (Architect and Engineering Services). The incumbent contract for this work is W912DY-06-D-0010. Historically, task orders have been firm fixed price and labor hours and have ranged between $40,000 and $500,000. It is planned that future task orders will have a capacity of $500,000. Freedom of Information Act requests regarding the current contract may be obtained by contacting the CEHNC Office of Counsel at 256-895-1100.

DESCRIPTION OF WORK. The work will be issued on negotiated, firm fixed price task orders. The awardee of this contract will receive a Request for Proposal (RFP) for work required. They will then propose the level of effort required in each discipline in order to perform the work described in that RFP. The Government and the awardee will then negotiate to agreement upon the level of effort required, and award the task order. The rates charged will be in accordance with those in the contract, and according to the appropriate ordering period. Please see the Brooks Act and Engineer Pamphlet (EP) 715-1-7 for more information about this type of acquisition. This work is anticipated to be awarded in fiscal year 2010 (after 1 October 2009). The work shall consist of complete cost engineering services to include the preparation of cost estimates from programming/conceptual phases through final design on any of the projects and programs ongoing at CEHNC, specifically as related to the Cost Estimating Branch assignments. Certified Construction Cost Engineers will be required for this work. It is anticipated that most or all work will be conducted at the Contractor’s own site. Services shall also include cost estimating review in accordance with CEHNC guidance, cost analysis, participation in charrettes/meetings/Value Engineering (VE) studies/conferences, site investigations, Change Order cost estimates and assistance in negotiations. Specific task requirements may include preparation and/or validation of the following: cost estimates; cost estimates using specified automated systems; schedules; economic analyses; cost risk assessments using specified automated systems; and quantity takeoff and material pricing. The Contractor shall provide support during negotiations; cost and pricing analysis of proposals; assistance in proposal evaluations; defense of prepared or validated construction cost estimates; training and related efforts; cost estimating support in the analysis of VE initiatives, participation in and/or facilitation of VE studies and participation in charrettes; preparation and/or assistance with cost engineering studies; participation in the development of cost related databases; development of historical cost information and reporting in specified automated system; and supporting services in reference to the above listing. In addition, the firm selected must have experience in use of MII AND PACES software. Most estimates will be required to be performed in MII and PACES and the contractor will be expected to be expert in the use of these systems.

3. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The decision to reserve award(s) for qualified small business under a multiple award acquisition is being considered pending the evaluation of responses to this sources sought announcement. The Government is seeking to identify qualified sources under North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 541330 either singly or as part of an assembled team. It has not been determined if this will be unrestricted or a restricted award as such we will use this information as a part of our market research in order to determine if small businesses possess the capability to execute all of the requirements within this acquisition. Respondents need to indicate all small business designations (small business, 8(a), certified HubZone and/or Service Disabled Veteran Owned). Interested firms should submit a document which furnishes information describing relevant demonstrated experience and qualifications in the following format: Submission should be made electronically by 31 March 2009 and should not exceed 5 (five) one-sided, 8 ½” X 11” pages. The submissions should be Times New Roman, font size 12. The submission will address all questions in the Sources Sought Questionnaire and your ability to perform the services stated in the Project Information section of this sources sought. Computer files must be compatible with Microsoft Word 2003.

This anouncement has been issued for information and planning purposes only and IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) nor does its issuance restrict the Government as to the ultimate acquisition approach. The Government will NOT reimburse the contractor for any cost associated with preparing or submitting a response to this notice.

NO HARDCOPY OR FACSIMILE SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED. Cover letters and extraneous materials (brochures, etc.) will not be considered. Interested firms shall email their submissions to the Contract Specialist, Adam R. Hall, and the Contracting Officer, Tonju L. Butler at the following email address:

DLL-CEHNC-COSTESTIMATING-AE-SVCS@usace.army.mil

Questions concerning submissions should be directed in writing to the Contract Specialist and the Contracting Officer utilizing the email addresses provided above. Personal visits for the purpose of discussing this announcement will not be scheduled. THIS is NOT a REQUEST for a PROPOSAL.

SOURCES SOUGHT QUESTIONNAIRE

1. What is the name of your business?

2. What is your business address?

3. What is your business’s CAGE code?

4. Identify a responsible point of contact who can be contacted regarding your response, their phone number, and e-mail address.

5. Is your firm a small business concern? If so, please specify whether or not your firm is a certified 8(a) small business, certified HUBZone business and/or Service Disabled veteran owned concern? (specify all that apply). If not, please indicate that you are a large business concern.

6. Would you be proposing on this project as a sole contractor, prime contractor with subcontractor(s) and/or a joint venture?

7. If you have proposed a joint venture that has not yet been established, identify to the extent possible, your team members. Identify the business size of your team members or joint venture firms. If a teaming arrangement is planned, give details to the extent practicable on how the team likely will be composed. See FAR subpart 9.6 for Government policy on teaming arrangements, as well as 8(a) Program regulations described in 13 CFR 124.513.)

8. If you have proposed a joint venture that has already been established, provide details of the effort, the members specified, and a copy of the joint venture agreement, to include the incorporation date of the subject joint venture. In addition, identify the number of Government requirements for which your joint venture has submitted formal price proposals within the last two years.

9. Experience: Has your company delivered or is in the process of delivering cost estimating services for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers? If so, provide customer references, locations, scope of effort, dollar value, and dates for efforts performed within the past five years.

10. Capabilities: Does your company have the qualified, experienced personnel to provide planning services relative to military facilities? Provide the number of qualified key personnel (planners, architects and engineers), minimum and maximum years of experience and the average years of experience.

11. Capacity: Provide specific details on your current and projected capacity to perform an estimate of two or more task orders ranging in value from $100 thousand to $500 thousand at the same time. The selected firms must be able to handle two (2) to four (4) such task orders in order to fully utilize the anticipated capacity. Provide information on the magnitude of simultaneous task orders that you can handle.

12. Management: Does your company have the capability to manage planning services in a cost effective, timely, and contract conforming manner? Please provide specific examples based on previous projects.

13. Quality: Does your company have experience in providing and maintaining an effective quality control program? Provide examples.

14. If awarded a Cost Engineering contract, the maximum number of engineers/technicians your firm can perform for any single task/delivery order is__________________________________________________________________________ (For example your firm can supply 3 Electrical engineers, 3 Mechanical Engineers, 2 Civil Engineers, 1 Structural Engineer, 2 Cost Engineers, 3 Cost Engineering Technicians).

15. If awarded a Cost Engineering contract what is the maximum aggregate contract capacity your firm can adequately perform ($ value). Need to be able to perform up to $1.9 Million a year. ___________________________________________________________________________

16. Can you work in all US States and Territories (i.e. do you have PEs either available in house or by reciprocity that can meet life safety requirements in all states)? If not specify where you cannot work. ___________________________________________________________________________

17. How many registered engineers does your firm have in the following disciplines?

Civil

Electrical

Structural

Mechanical

18. How many registered architects does your firm have? ___________________________________________________________________________

19. How many certified cost engineers/technicians (please also state the organization that certified the cost engineer/technician) does your firm have and in what disciplines? ___________________________________________________________________________

20. How many Certified Value Engineering Specialists does your firm have? (Please specify the organization that certified the Value Engineering Specialists.) ___________________________________________________________________________

21. How many Associate Value Specialists does your firm have? (Please specify the organization that certified the Value Specialists.) ___________________________________________________________________________