Questions from MFAES 4_25FEB2026.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

CORPS OF ENGINEERS, HUNTSVILLE ENGINEERING AND SUPPORT CENTER

P.O. BOX 1600

HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA 35807-4301

CEHNC-CT-C

Questions from MFAES 4.0 Industry Day 25 February 2026

Industry Day Presentation:

Industry Day - Medical Facilities Architect - Engineer Services (MFAES) 4.0- 20260225_183152UTC-Meeting Recording.mp4

From Chat:

• Please show the "current firms" slide again when possible. Thank you - Bellandra Foster

• With the new NDAA authority for Progressive Design Build as an acquisition tool, will that be included as part of services? - Thom Kurmel

a. The intent is to use as many tools that will get the best product for our customers available, so I don’t imagine we will be looking to exclude a good tool. Whether or not the specific needs have the appetite for using a new tool that’s to be determined, I don’t think that it could be a part.

• Knowing you’re still sorting out the timeline, what’s the earliest you think the solicitation will come out? - Dave Caldwell, Pond & Company

a. On our latest milestone schedule, we have it around the June July time frame with the government shutdown, we were kind of pushed back a little bit. So, I don't know if that is still 100% accurate. As I mentioned earlier, we are in the early stages of market research and then we have all of our reports and papers that we have to submit for approval and a lot of when we post the synopsis will be based on how quickly those get approved and how much back and forth we have to do before we do get the approval. So right now, we're shooting for June or July.

b. FINAL RESPONSE: Synopsis is projected to be posted to industry mid-August.

Again, this may change based on when the acquisition strategy is approved.

https://usace-my.dps.mil/:v:/g/personal/eddie_williams_usace_army_mil/IQDmOdg4ff2JToRsCyIXZkKyAVsnGKXR4oVDpYCt2iVAyRs?e=hhWOQZ&nav=eyJyZWZlcnJhbEluZm8iOnsicmVmZXJyYWxBcHAiOiJTdHJlYW1XZWJBcHAiLCJyZWZlcnJhbFZpZXciOiJTaGFyZURpYWxvZy1MaW5rIiwicmVmZXJyYWxBcHBQbGF0Zm9ybSI6IldlYiIsInJlZmVycmFsTW9kZSI6InZpZXcifX0%3D https://usace-my.dps.mil/:v:/g/personal/eddie_williams_usace_army_mil/IQDmOdg4ff2JToRsCyIXZkKyAVsnGKXR4oVDpYCt2iVAyRs?e=hhWOQZ&nav=eyJyZWZlcnJhbEluZm8iOnsicmVmZXJyYWxBcHAiOiJTdHJlYW1XZWJBcHAiLCJyZWZlcnJhbFZpZXciOiJTaGFyZURpYWxvZy1MaW5rIiwicmVmZXJyYWxBcHBQbGF0Zm9ybSI6IldlYiIsInJlZmVycmFsTW9kZSI6InZpZXcifX0%3D

• What’s the geographic scope of this contract? - Dave Caldwell, Pond & Company

a. The geographic scope of this contract was covered on page 6 of the slides.

Countries include Belgium, Germany, the UK, Italy, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

• Will the VA be able to use the contract? - Thom Kurmel

a. There’s already a separate VA IDC that will be used for VA work. This contract is not intended for VA work.

• For this contract, do you see any CMMC requirements above Level 1? It doesn’t seem like anything should be required at Level 2. What level do you think this will come out as? – Dave Caldwell – Pond & Company

a. The answer is to be determined. We don’t really know yet. We haven’t gone through that exercise of how to classify and what level of sensitivity is required between a Level 2 self-certification or Level 2 third party. We know for now that everybody will be a Level 1 this year until we get to November and then we will move into the phase where we start classifying folk at Level 2. So, it may be that we will not know the answer to that until the solicitation comes out. We’ll have the DFARS Clauses in there, and you know you will be subject to the same guidance we’re subject to, but until we know a little bit more about what this is going to look like, we’re just going to say for now just get registered. Worry about Level 1 and as we get into the next Fiscal year and get towards time of award then we’ll worry about Level 2 or not.

• Do you see the personnel requirements staying the same as in MFAES 3.0? Are you adding or deleting any requirements (I.e. removing LEED certification requirements now that LEED isn’t going to be pursued) – Pond & Company

a. Right, we’re definitely adding one requirement for Cyber Security that will be added to this IDC. The LEED certification obviously if we are not doing LEED, I don’t think LEED certification will be required, however, we will have to look at how the Army is self-certifying in accordance with the document I noted in the slide earlier, and what that requires.

b. Clay: I want to go back to that question about deleting any requirements. As you all know we are currently right smack in the middle of a revolutionary FAR Overhaul and the accompanying DFARS Deviations. I think the last batch of them is supposed to come out this Friday, but the rule making will not be finished until November. So, at some point whenever the solicitation goes out obviously the FAR Clauses are going to change, the DFAR clauses are not going to look the same either. We will have brand new deviations. We’ve already got most of them now, but yea, so from the terms of how everything looks from the clauses it might be different. We’ve also got the new contract writing system, so the formats going to be different, so you’re going to see lots of changes but overall, the scope requirements I don’t think are really that different, and in the end, a lot of the stuff in the FAR and DFAR is not going to be that different and if nothing else, there’s going to be less of it. Also, I don’t think there is going to be much that’s additional or more burdensome. It’s just going to look a bit different so when you first take a look at what this all looks like in the system don’t panic because it may look different but, in the end, I don’t think it will be that different operatively.

• Do you have a list of potential projects and budgets under the MFAES? – Dennis Blaschke

a. No, not at this time that I can share.

• How does EM385-1-1 apply to site investigations for Design or studies? – Dave Caldwell

– Pond & Company

a. Typically, we’re required to have a site visit and Accident Prevention Plan in place and approved prior to going onsite. Again, safety is of the highest priority, and we want to make sure as our folk and as our contractors are onsite, everyone’s staying safe, so that still applies and that would get into what the purpose of the investigation is, what step that is that could trigger elements on what we need to be able to review to make sure that your teams are safe. I don’t know if that answers your question.

From the Floor:

• Are you going to put out a pre-solicitation on this one? And solicited input on the actual station. Or because it's so close to AP 3.0 or you just going to probably put out a solicitation in the concepts. Dave Caldwell – Pond & Company

a. Answer: We'll probably just go ahead and put out the synopsis and then go straight to the RFPP once that's decided on. But again, everything's subject to change.

• Is there going to be access on the sam.gov site to the attendees along with this, the presentation slides and any other questions that might come up, responses to those as well so there'll be opportunities for you to reach out?

a. Answer: A list of all attendees along with the presentation slides and any other questions that might come up, responses to those as well will be posted.

Questions received through the MFAES4 Email Account

• Like the MFAES 3.0 project requirements, please confirm whether you will be requesting the submission of relevant projects that fall under Design Project, Planning Project, and Special Project as part of the MFAES 4.0 project requirements.

a. Yes.

• Given the impacts of COVID-19 on project design and construction schedules, and to increase project variety that best aligns with the requirements, please confirm whether you will allow the submission of projects completed within the last 10 years.

a. No. Five years will be the maximum number of years allowed.