A&E IDIQ Northeast Area

This is a PRESOLICITATION notice issued pursuant to FAR 5.204. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Northeast Area has a requirement for an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity Contract (IDIQ) for Architectural-Engineering Design and Construction Management/Administration Services for repair and maintenance, alteration, and/or new construction projects (including greenhouses and specialized farm buildings) for USDA facilities located throughout the Northeast Area, which includes the states of: Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Washington D.C., and West Virginia.  This contract is open to other agencies within USDA in the same geographic area.

PROJECT SCOPE:  Services under the contract will include, but are not limited to, energy-related studies, environmental site assessments and studies, building and/or site investigations/studies, feasibility and conceptual studies, geotechnical investigations, radon testing, asbestos and other hazardous materials abatement, life cycle cost analyses, engineering design criteria development, statements of work/program of requirements development, design analyses, designs, construction drawings, specifications (including specifications for design-build), detailed cost estimates and analyses, bidding phase services, construction management/administration (including on-site construction management/administration, bid evaluations, shop drawings and submittals review and approval), construction inspection and/or monitoring, design review, technical consultation, field surveys, engineering reports, and computer-aided drafting.

This requirement will be procured in accordance with the Brooks Act (Selection of Architects and Engineers Statute) as noted in FAR Subpart 36.6 (Architect-Engineer Services). The contract shall be for a period of 12 months from date of award with four, one-year option periods.  Task orders will be issued for each individual project.  The annual amount of the contract will not exceed $8,500,000.  The cumulative amount of all task orders will be a minimum of $1,000 and will not exceed $45,000,000 over the life of the contract. All task orders awarded under this A/E IDIQ will be FFP.

The Government anticipates award of multiple Indefinite Quantity Contracts; however, the Government reserves the right to award only one contract.  Individual funded requirements will be awarded through the issuance of task orders.

SOLICITATION PERIOD: A request for proposal is scheduled to release on or about March 26, 2021.  Proposals will be due on or about April 26, 2021.

SOLICITATION PROCEDURES: The acquisition will be issued as a Total Small Business Set-Aside, Request for Proposal through the beta.sam.gov website.  The NAICS code for this procurement is 541330; Small Business Size Standard is $16.5 million.  Product Service Code (PSC) is C219. The anticipated period of performance is June 1, 2021 through May 31, 2022 for the base period with the inclusion of four option periods.  If all four option periods are exercised, the ultimate completion date will be May 31, 2026.

Consideration of firms will be limited to those firms who can provide professional A-E services primarily in the disciplines of architectural, civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, and environmental engineering for pre-design, design, and post-design A-E services for research laboratory facilities, including greenhouses and specialized farm building such as breeding and rearing facilities, barns, stock-watering systems/facilities, etc.

The following factors will form the basis for evaluation and determination of those highly qualified firms and selection of the best qualified.  The factors are listed in order of importance:

Specialized experience and technical competence in the type of work required to alter or repair facilities in support of research in laboratory and field settings, including, where appropriate, pollution prevention, waste reduction, and the use of recovered materials.  Experience in the inclusion of energy-saving and sustainable features into the design, as shown by the use of the requirements of ASHRAE 90.1, EPACT 2005, Executive Order Number 13693, and LEED.  Various tasks include mechanical, electrical, structural, civil, retro-commissioning, and construction management services.  Preference will be given to firms who demonstrate experience with agricultural research facilities.

The capacity of the Design A-E and its consultants, in terms of numbers and diversity of in-house disciplines and resources to accomplish all work on schedule and to successfully manage multiple task orders simultaneously.  Preference will be given to firms who maintain in-house staff of licensed architectural, civil, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and environmental engineering professionals.

Professional qualifications, including general education, training, and experience of the Design A-E and its primary consultants necessary for satisfactory performance of required services.  Professional licenses of firms and team members in all the states included in the Northeast Area.

Past performance on similar contracts with Government agencies and private industry in terms of cost control, quality control, compliance with performance schedules, and demonstrated ability to successfully coordinate all planning, design, bid, and construction phase work with all subcontractors, and to communicate effectively with the customer on project progress issues.  Demonstrated ability in quality assurance work, “punch lists,” commissioning services, final inspections, and record drawings is vital.

This is an electronically issued acquisition. The solicitation will be available at the beta.sam.gov website.  Offerors are responsible for routinely checking the website for any possible solicitation amendments that may be issued.  All responsible offerors may submit a proposal.  To be eligible for award, offerors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database.  Offerors may obtain information on registration in the SAM at https://www.beta.sam.gov.