VA / LETC Dining Facility at the Eugene J Towbin VA Healthcare Center, North Little Rock, AR

            The US Army Corps of Engineers, Little Rock District (CESWL), has been tasked to solicit for an award of a “two-phase” Design-Build competitive negotiation procurement process in order to obtain design and construction services for a student dining facility for the Law Enforcement Training Center (LETC) at the Eugene J Towbin VA Healthcare Center in North Little Rock, AR. 

This is a total Small Business set-aside.The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 236220 - Commercial and Institutional Building Construction. The US Small Business Administration Size Standard is $39.5 Million.

The magnitude of construction will be between $5,000,000 and $10,000,000.

            This overall project is for the Design-Build construction of the LETC student dining facility.  The size of the dining facility will be approximately +/-12,000 SF and serve approximately 250 to 275 students (at one time) for three (3) meals per day, seven (7) days a week.  Capacity to serve up to 500 students on a “phased” basis at any one meal may also be considered.  The facility will generally consist of the functional areas and associated square footages as referenced in the ENCLOSURE 1, Program For Design (PFD) dated 02 DEC 19.

           The project will utilize economical design and construction methods in accordance with the Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) and will comply with the referenced VA design standards including the Veterans Canteen Service (Chapter 206), VA Physical Security Design Manual (classified as “Life Safety Protected”) dated July 2007, VA Interior Finishes as Specified VA Program Guide PG-18-14, and CAVHS Technology Design Guide dated 2016-06 (which will be made available in Step 2).  The VA Design Guides with noted exceptions can be located at (https://www.cfm.va.gov/til/). 

           Anticipated Construction Components:  Potential special foundations due to topographic conditions, slab on grade or elevated slabs based on design-build concept, masonry exterior walls, architectural shingle roof, fire suppression/detection/alarm systems, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), communications, loading dock(s) and kitchen equipment which is integral to the construction process, i.e. walk-in coolers/freezers, hoods, sinks etc. are anticipated.    

            Supporting facilities include site work, existing driveway and potential parking reconfiguration for semi-truck/food delivery access, new paring and relocation of existing parking spaces, and all necessary utility support and relocations associated with the completion of this project.

            It is currently anticipated the project/new dining facility will be located east of Building 7, north of Hill Road and adjacent to Parking Lot 5. Reference ENCLOSURE 2 for the anticipated project location.

Estimated dates:

Solicitation Phase 1 – Release date               December 23, 2019

Phase 1 Proposal due date                              January 28, 2020

Solicitation Phase 2 – Release date               April 27, 2020

Phase 2 Proposal due date                              May 28, 2020

Estimated contract performance dates          August 03, 2020 – March 03, 2022

All solicitation documents will be available when the solicitation is released

The proposed contracts will be competitive firm-fixed-price contracts procured in accordance with FAR 15, Negotiated Procurement using the Best Value Trade-Off process. There will be no public bid opening. The Government will evaluate and select for contract award the contractor that provides the best value to the Government.  Qualified Offerors in Phase 1 whose proposals are determined to be the most beneficial to the Government will be allowed to participate in Phase 2.  All contractors in Phase 2 will be allowed to submit a proposal that includes a technical volume and a price volume.  These proposals will be given consideration for both the technical evaluation factors and price. In accordance with FAR 36.3, Two-Phase Design-Build Selection Procedures, a Two-Phase source selection process will be used to evaluate the Offerors for award.

In Phase 1, interested contractors may submit certain specified performance proposals, demonstrating their capability to successfully execute contract resulting from this solicitation. The Government will evaluate the performance capability in accordance with the criteria described in the Phase 1 solicitation documents. Those offerors who are considered the most highly qualified during Phase 1 will be requested to submit the proposal requirements for Phase 2. Specific evaluation criteria will be provided in the solicitation documents.

In Phase 2, the selected Offerors, as a result of Phase 1, will submit certain specified technical design proposals for a contract award and a price proposal. The Government will evaluate the Phase 2 proposals in accordance with the criteria described for Phase 2 in the solicitation documents, and award to the responsible Offeror, whose proposal conforms to all the terms and conditions of the solicitation and whose proposal is determined to represent the overall best value to the Government.

Small Businesses & 8(a) participants are reminded under FAR 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting, DOD will not pay more than 85 percent of the amount paid by the Government for contract performance, excluding the cost of materials, to subcontractors that are not similarly situated entities. Any work that a similarly situated entity further subcontracts will count toward the 85 percent subcontract amount that cannot be exceeded” for general construction-type procurement.

Solicitation will be issued as a Request for Proposal (RFP). This solicitation will be issued via betaSAM (www.beta.SAM.gov). It is the Offeror's sole responsibility to obtain this solicitation and any subsequent amendments through this website. Offerors are encouraged to visit this web site and become familiar with its content and functionality prior to the solicitation issue date. No paper copies will be provided. Notification of amendments shall be made via the website as well. It is therefore the contractor’s responsibility to check the betaSAM website daily for any posted changes to this solicitation. Contractors may view and/or download this solicitation and all amendments from the Internet after solicitation issuance. A solicitation mailing list will not be compiled and amendments will not be sent out in paper copy. All contractors must be registered in the betaSAM website (beta.SAM.gov) to be eligible for award of a contract. Faxed offers and amendments will not be accepted.

All questions or comments should be forwarded in writing via e-mail to Timothy Pighee at Timothy.A.Pighee@usace.army.mil.