VAMC San Francisco A/E Design Services

Added: Mar 11, 2011 5:38 pm Modified: Apr 07, 2011 10:51 amTrack Changes AMENDMENT #5



QUESTION AND ANSWER



1. Q: The cover page to the solicitation lists a VA Washington, DC address and the solicitation lists a VA Vallejo, CA address. Where do we submit the SF-330s?

A: The SF-330s are submitted to the Contracting Officer Katherine Volpe; 1175 Nimitz Avenue, Suite 200, Vallejo, CA 94592.

Added: Mar 11, 2011 5:38 pm Modified: Apr 06, 2011 10:45 amTrack Changes AMENDMENT #4

PLEASE DISREGARD THE AMENDMENT #2 DATED MARCH 22, 2011 IN IT'S ENTIRETY



QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS



1. I have reviewed the Responses to Questions that you have issued for the project and noted that no response is provided to question #22 page 4. Could this question be answered:

As indicated in the above message, please refer to Amendment #3 Question 22 and disregard Amendment #2 dated March 22, 2011.

2. Since this is the first time we have seen the preference for all design work within a geographic area, we are wondering if this preference will become typical of VA projects in the Bay Area or even VA procurement in general?

Each VA solicitation preference and evaluation factors will be announced in all VA solicitation on a case-by-case basis.

3. On the second page, under Scope-3rd paragraph it states "The contract will include options for: design development documents, construction documents, construction period services are for the "AE services during construction, not construction management services. Am I correct?

Yes

4. When this project goes to construction do you plan to solicit for construction management services?

A decision to solicit for CM Services has not been determined at this time

5. I'm still hoping you can clarify the small business requirements soon, as we try to finalize our team. There is still some confusion regarding whether all small disadvantaged businesses must be Section 8(a) certified or if self certification will suffice.

Please refer to Amendment #3 Question #14 response published March 25, 2011s. "Small Disadvantaged Business Section 8(a) - must be certified.

6. Is there a list of interested Architects for this project?

Please refer to the Solicitation in FedBizOps and click on the "Interested Vendors List" tab.

7. Would you please clarify if NAICS code 541990 is just as qualified as 541310 for this opportunity?



No



8. Under the "Management Plan" selection criteria, would you please clarify what is meant by "Personnel Change Control" and Firm's Partnering Plan"?



Personnel Change Control - Contractor's management of change in key personnel.



Firm's Partnering Plan - A plan to establish a long term win-win relationship based on mutual trust and teamwork, and on sharing of both risks and rewards as it applies to a relationship between your firm and your clients.



9. Would you please clarify the subcontracting goals? We understand that the VA would like to see us team with firms that meet the goal criteria, but since we are considered a small business, do the goal percentages count? The RFQ states "If subcontracting opportunities exist and the submitting firm is not a small business, the small business subcontracting goals will be…"



Yes, the VA encourages small businesses to strive to meet the small business goals for all socio-economic programs while considering the requirement that the prime small business would have to demonstrate that they can perform at least 51% of the total contract amount.



10. Shall design of fire alarm and sprinkler systems be independently engineered for bid, design-build, or performance spec only for contractor's proprietary design?

Design to include fire alarm and sprinkler systems.

11. Do blank pages count toward the 100 page limitation? (For example, the blank back side of a page with content.)



Double-sided page with the information on one side counts as one page.



12. Would you like the SF-330 package in a three (3) binder or can we use binding combs?



This decision is left to your discretion.



THE FOLLOWING IS ADDED TO SUBJECT SOLICITATION:

The selected firm will be required to participate in a one (1) day pre-negotiation meeting at VA Central Office, Washington DC, prior to contract award.

Added: Mar 11, 2011 5:38 pm Modified: Mar 25, 2011 5:00 pmTrack Changes

1. In reviewing the pre-solicitation, I did not see any reference to the inclusion of a fire protection engineer as part of the minimum key personnel. Can you clarify if the VA will require this for the solicitation?



The solicitation provided a list with the "minimum" key personnel and also lists additional personnel for other disciplines. Thus, it is up to the contractor to decide to add Fire Protection to the Key personnel or Additional personnel list; regardless the contractor must identify all disciplines necessary for the project.



2. What is the program for the new medical research facility?



The proposed disciplines for the programs are described in both the Synopsis and Scope portion of the solicitation.



3. What is the breakdown between lab space, administrative space and/or any other programmatic elements in the new facility?



Building 12 Replacement - 51% of estimated construction cost, Buildings 1, 6, 8 Seismic Retrofit and Parking Structure - 49% of estimated construction cost



4. What type of research will be housed in the new facility?



The proposed disciplines for the programs are described in both the Synopsis and the Scope of the solicitation.



5. What is the overall budget for this project?



The estimated construction cost range is over $100 million.



6. Will this project be phased?



All construction for this project must be completed before October 2016 and the contractor must develop a realistic project schedule to support the deadline.



7. Will you host a pre-solicitation meeting and jobsite walk?



A solicitation meeting and site walk will not be held before the submittal date.



8. What is the average completion time for this A&E Design phase?



Construction Documents are scheduled to be awarded before the end of August 2012.



9. What is the expected time for the down-select from the SF330s for this specific solicitation?



The expected time is approximately May 2011.

?



10. I'm writing to inquire whether there will be a Pre-Submittal meeting for this project at the VAMC in San Francisco?



A solicitation meeting and site walk will not be held before the submittal date.



11. Should we submit Form 330 Parts I & II ONLY, for the entire A/E team, or should we include a separate narrative responding to the selection criteria outlined in the RFQ (personnel, relevant experience, management plan, sustainability, past performance, etc.). I assume if we are not allowed to submit additional material, this would be covered in 330 Section H (additional information).



Please complete Form 330 Parts I & II and a narrative responding to the selection criteria in the Solicitation.



12. Is the (12) point font minimum applicable to the Form 330s? We typically fill out these form in (10) point font.



Please use (12) point font minimum for both the Form 330 and narrative response.



13. Does the (100) page page limit apply to everything, cover-to-cover (table of contents, cover letter, small business subcontracting plan, SOQ/330s)? Does a double-sided page count as one or two pages?



100 Page Limit:

Includes the cover letter, proposal letter, tabs, dividers, letter of transmission, front and back covers, appendices, attachments, enclosures, index, table of contents, pictures, reference letters, charts, graphs, maps, flowcharts, schedules, models, additional information, etc.(i.e. total submission quantity).



Double-sided page with the aforementioned information on both sides counts as two pages.



14. Small Business Subcontracting Goals: Do self-certified small businesses count towards the goals? Specifically, SBs that are self-certified SB, SDB and WOSB? We work with many small businesses that are self-certified with the SBA/CCA but not Section 8(a) certified. In addition, some of the SDB firms we work with were previously certified but their exit date has passed. It is my understanding that self-certification has been acceptable for most federally funded projects.



Yes, Small Business (SB), Small Disadvantaged Business, Women-Owned Small Business - can be Self-Certified, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and Veteran-Owned Small Business - must be registered and Small Disadvantaged Business Section 8(a) - must be certified



15. Can you advise us as to the proportion of construction cost that is estimated to be required for the new lab replacement of building 12,,, versus the remainder of the 3 buildings to be renovated? (Or the estimated dollar amount for each building.)



Building 12 Replacement - 51% of estimated construction cost, Buildings 1, 6, 8 Seismic Retrofit and Parking Structure - 49% of estimated construction cost.

?



16. Can you give us an idea of a possible schedule for the project? When would programming start? Concepts? SD?



All construction for this project must be completed before October 2016 and the contractor must develop a realistic project schedule to support the deadline.



17. What will be the representation on the selection committee from various groups-VASF Administration vs Users, Mare Island VA staff, DC VA staff, etc?



VA can not disclose this source selection information.



18. Can you describe the intention of the requested Personnel Management Plan and Firm's Partnering Plan referenced in the Management Plan criteria? Are these formal documents with templates?



The Personnel Management Plan and Firm's Partnering Plan are part of the selection criteria.

These documents are to be prepared as part of the response and the format is at the contractor's discretion.



19. Can you provide any information about the anticipated schedule for this project, at a minimum when services might begin, and when occupancy is desired to be achieved?

All construction for this project must be completed before October 2016 and the contractor must develop a realistic project schedule to support the deadline. It is estimated that the AE contract will be awarded in September 2011.



20. Is the scoring of the applicants developed during the short listing process averaged with the scoring from the interview process to produce a final score?



VA can not disclose this source selection information.



21. Are any pages of the proposal excluded from the 100 page limitation? Many clients who express such a limitation exclude the front and back cover, tabs and dividers, table of contents, etc. Also, is a page printed on both sides counted as one of the 100 pages, or as two?



100 Page Limit:

Includes the cover letter, proposal letter, tabs, dividers, letter of transmission, front and back covers, appendices, attachments, enclosures, index, table of contents, pictures, reference letters, charts, graphs, maps, flowcharts, schedules, models, additional information, etc.(i.e. total submission quantity).



Double-sided page with the aforementioned information on both sides counts as two pages.



?

22. Are the small business subcontracting goals expressed as a percentage of the work that the prime consultant sub-contracts to other firms or as a percentage of the overall contract including the portion executed by the prime contractor.



The small business subcontracting goals are expressed as a percentage of total planned subcontracting

dollars.





23. If a firm is a Small Business AND a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, does the amount contracted to them contribute toward meeting both goals or just one?



The amount contracted to them contributes toward meeting both goals.



24. Can you share the make-up of the committee for the short listing phase and for the interview phase? Are they the same?



VA can not disclose this source selection information.



25. Will the committees include architects? Will they include Researchers or other Users of the building?



VA can not disclose this source selection information.



26. The list of "other disciplines" that might participate in the project could be a lengthy one. Do you want the proposals to include all these disciplines, i.e. telecommunications, security, audio/visual, acoustics, vibration? Including all these (plus maybe others) could make it hard to respond in less than 100 pages to all that is requested.



The solicitation provided a list with the "minimum" key personnel and also lists additional personnel for other disciplines. Thus, it is up to the contractor to decide to add Fire Protection to the Key personnel or Additional personnel list; regardless the contractor must identify all disciplines necessary for the project.

The contractor must identify all disciplines necessary for the project within the 100 page limitation.



27. Is there any flexibility on the requirement for no less than 12 point type? This will make the completion of the Part One Sections E, F, and G more difficult within the page limitation.



Please use (12) point font minimum for both the Form 330 and narrative response.



28. Are there any clinics? There language that suggests our scope may include medical planning and design.



There are no clinics. Medical planning and design may be required for the Buildings 1, 6 and 8 Seismic Retrofit / Building 12 Replacement Construction project.



29. Please clarify if a fee proposal is required. The amendment struck the language that "this was not a proposal", so now it is a proposal, but left the language that "no fees are to be provided".



In accordance with FAR 36.603(b) a firm must complete the Qualification Data; Form 330 Parts I & II and a narrative responding to the selection criteria in the Solicitation. A costs proposal is not requested.



30. Does the project include the seismic renovations of B1, 6, 8? Is there any info you can share that gives a sense of the intensity of scope for the seismic upgrade requirements to the 3 existing buildings.



The project includes the seismic retrofit of Buildings 1, 6 and 8. Building 12 Replacement - 51% of estimated construction cost, Buildings 1, 6, 8 Seismic Retrofit and Parking Structure - 49% of estimated construction cost.



31. "Preference will be given to firms with working offices capable of performing all design work within fifty (50) miles" of each project site.



Specifically, what importance will this "preference" be given during the evaluation? How would you measure "capability" in this respect?



The location criterion is ranked fourth in order of importance. VA can not disclose additional source selection information.

Added: Mar 11, 2011 5:38 pm Modified: Mar 22, 2011 5:27 pmTrack Changes VAMC San Francisco Architect/Engineer Services

Solicitation No.: VA-101-11-RP-0087

Response to Questions

Amendment #2



1. In reviewing the pre-solicitation, I did not see any reference to the inclusion of a fire protection engineer as part of the minimum key personnel. Can you clarify if the VA will require this for the solicitation?



The solicitation requested provided a list with the "minimum" key personnel. Also, the solicitation asked for additional personnel for other disciplines. Thus, it is up to the contractor to decide to add Fire Protection to the Key personnel or Additional personnel list; regardless the contractor must identify all disciplines necessary for the project.



2. What is the program for the new medical research facility?



The proposed disciplines for the programs are described in the synopsis and scope of the solicitation.



3. What is the breakdown between lab space, administrative space and/or any other programmatic elements in the new facility?



Building 12 Replacement - 51% of estimated construction cost, Buildings 1, 6, 8 Seismic Retrofit and Parking Structure - 49% of estimated construction cost



4. What type of research will be housed in the new facility?



The proposed disciplines for the programs are described in the synopsis and scope of the solicitation.



5. What is the overall budget for this project?



The estimated construction cost range is over $100 million.



6. Will this project be phased?



All construction for this project must be completed before October 2016 and the contractor must develop a realistic project schedule to support the deadline.



7. Will you host a pre-solicitation meeting and jobsite walk?



A solicitation meeting and site walk will not be held before the submittal date.



8. What is the average completion time for this A&E Design phase?



Construction Documents is scheduled to be awarded before the end of August 2012.



9. What is the expected time for the down-select from the SF330s for this specific solicitation?



The expected time is approximately May 2011.



10. I'm writing to inquire whether there will be a Pre-Submittal meeting for this project at the VAMC in San Francisco?



A solicitation meeting and site walk will not be held before the submittal date.



11. Should we submit Form 330 Parts I & II ONLY, for the entire A/E team, or should we include a separate narrative responding to the selection criteria outlined in the RFQ (personnel, relevant experience, management plan, sustainability, past performance, etc.). I assume if we are not allowed to submit additional material, this would be covered in 330 Section H (additional information).



Please complete Form 330 Parts I & II and a narrative responding to the selection criteria in the Solicitation.



12. Is the (12) point font minimum applicable to the Form 330s? We typically fill out these form in (10) point font.



Please use (12) point font minimum for both the Form 330 and narrative response.



13. Does the (100) page page limit apply to everything, cover-to-cover (table of contents, cover letter, small business subcontracting plan, SOQ/330s)? Does a double-sided page count as one or two pages?



100 Page Limit:

Includes the cover letter, proposal letter, tabs, dividers, letter of transmission, front and back covers, appendices, attachments, enclosures, index, table of contents, pictures, reference letters, charts, graphs, maps, flowcharts, schedules, models, additional information, etc.(i.e. total submission quantity).



Double-sided page with the aforementioned information on both sides counts as two pages.



14. Small Business Subcontracting Goals: Do self-certified small businesses count towards the goals? Specifically, SBs that are self-certified SB, SDB and WOSB? We work with many small businesses that are self-certified with the SBA/CCA but not Section 8(a) certified. In addition, some of the SDB firms we work with were previously certified but their exit date has passed. It is my understanding that self-certification has been acceptable for most federally funded projects.



Yes, Small Business (SB), Small Disadvantaged Business, Women-Owned Small Business - can be Self-Certified, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and Veteran-Owned Small Business - must be registered and Small Disadvantaged Business Section 8(a) - must be certified



15. Can you advise us as to the proportion of construction cost that is estimated to be required for the new lab replacement of building 12,,, versus the remainder of the 3 buildings to be renovated? (Or the estimated dollar amount for each building.)



Building 12 Replacement - 51% of estimated construction cost, Buildings 1, 6, 8 Seismic Retrofit and Parking Structure - 49% of estimated construction cost.

?



16. Can you give us an idea of a possible schedule for the project? When would programming start? Concepts? SD?



All construction for this project must be completed before October 2016 and the contractor must develop a realistic project schedule to support the deadline.



17. What will be the representation on the selection committee from various groups-VASF Administration vs Users, Mare Island VA staff, DC VA staff, etc?



VA can not disclose this source selection information.



18. Can you describe the intention of the requested Personnel Management Plan and Firm's Partnering Plan referenced in the Management Plan criteria? Are these formal documents with templates?



The Personnel Management Plan and Firm's Partnering Plan are part of the selection criteria.

These documents are to be prepared as part of the response and the format is at the contractor's discretion.



19. Can you provide any information about the anticipated schedule for this project, at a minimum when services might begin, and when occupancy is desired to be achieved?

All construction for this project must be completed before October 2016 and the contractor must develop a realistic project schedule to support the deadline. VA estimate awarding the AE contract in September 2011.



20. Is the scoring of the applicants developed during the short listing process averaged with the scoring from the interview process to produce a final score?



VA can not disclose this source selection information.



21. Are any pages of the proposal excluded from the 100 page limitation? Many clients who express such a limitation exclude the front and back cover, tabs and dividers, table of contents, etc. Also, is a page printed on both sides counted as one of the 100 pages, or as two?



100 Page Limit:

Includes the cover letter, proposal letter, tabs, dividers, letter of transmission, front and back covers, appendices, attachments, enclosures, index, table of contents, pictures, reference letters, charts, graphs, maps, flowcharts, schedules, models, additional information, etc.(i.e. total submission quantity).



Double-sided page with the aforementioned information on both sides counts as two pages.



22. Are the small business subcontracting goals expressed as a percentage of the work that the prime consultant sub-contracts to other firms or as a percentage of the overall contract including the portion executed by the prime contractor.





23. If a firm is a Small Business AND a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, does the amount contracted to them contribute toward meeting both goals or just one?



The amount contracted to them contributes toward meeting both goals.



24. Can you share the make-up of the committee for the short listing phase and for the interview phase? Are they the same?



VA can not disclose this source selection information.



25. Will the committees include architects? Will they include Researchers or other Users of the building?



VA can not disclose this source selection information.



26. The list of "other disciplines" that might participate in the project could be a lengthy one. Do you want the proposals to include all these disciplines, i.e. telecommunications, security, audio/visual, acoustics, vibration? Including all these (plus maybe others) could make it hard to respond in less than 100 pages to all that is requested.



The solicitation requested provided a list with the "minimum" key personnel. Also, the solicitation asked for additional personnel for other disciplines. The contractor must identify all disciplines necessary for the project within the 100 page limitation.



27. Is there any flexibility on the requirement for no less than 12 point type? This will make the completion of the Part One Sections E, F, and G more difficult within the page limitation.



Please use (12) point font minimum for both the Form 330 and narrative response.



28. Are there any clinics? There language that suggests our scope may include medical planning and design.



There are no clinics. Medical planning and design may be required for the Buildings 1, 6 and 8 Seismic Retrofit / Building 12 Replacement Construction project.



29. Please clarify if a fee proposal is required. The amendment struck the language that "this was not a proposal", so now it is a proposal, but left the language that "no fees are to be provided".



Please complete Form 330 Parts I & II and a narrative responding to the selection criteria in the Solicitation.



30. Does the project include the seismic renovations of B1, 6, 8? Is there any info you can share that gives a sense of the intensity of scope for the seismic upgrade requirements to the 3 existing buildings.



The project includes the seismic retrofit of Buildings 1, 6 and 8. Building 12 Replacement - 51% of estimated construction cost, Buildings 1, 6, 8 Seismic Retrofit and Parking Structure - 49% of estimated construction cost.



31. "Preference will be given to firms with working offices capable of performing all design work within fifty (50) miles" of each project site.



Specifically, what importance will this "preference" be given during the evaluation? How would you measure "capability" in this respect?

The location criterion is ranked fourth in order of importance. VA can not disclose the source selection information.

Added: Mar 11, 2011 5:38 pm Modified: Mar 14, 2011 2:15 pmTrack Changes VA-101-11-RP-0087_1

Pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 36.601-1, this notice serves as a public announcement for Architect Engineer services and as such a SF-330 Part I and Part II as required in the announcement is due no later than 3:00 PM (PST) on April 11, 2011 as prescribed in the announcement. The sentence included in the announcement "This is not a request for a proposal" shall be deleted.

Added: Mar 11, 2011 5:38 pm Notice Type:

Pre-Solicitation



Synopsis:

The Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Construction and Facilities Management, is seeking architecture or architecture/engineering firms (NAICS 541310) capable of the planning and design of newly constructed and renovated hospitals, large outpatient/ambulatory care clinics, health care and biomedical research, and similarly complex healthcare projects. The architecture or architecture/engineering firms must be capable of preparing all design and construction documentation including, but not limited to, advance/master planning, site development, utility infrastructure design, local utility approval, architecture, medical planning, civil engineering, structural engineering including seismic design, mechanical engineering, historic preservation, environmental protection, communication and data engineering, electrical engineering, interior design, landscape design, commissioning, construction cost estimating and market research, parking and traffic studies, geotechnical investigation and surveying, seismic design for new and existing buildings, and vivaria. The prime contractor should have, at least, the following licensed/registered specialty disciplines as members of the firm, or team, with demonstrable expertise in their respective fields: Architects, Medical Planners, Structural Engineers, Seismic Design Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Geo-technical Engineers, Historic Preservation Architects, Environmental Engineers, Communications and Electrical Engineers, Interior Designers, Sustainable Design and LEED Accredited Professionals, and Cost Estimators. All members should have experience in the planning and design of new hospitals, large medical and significant outpatient/ambulatory care clinics, medical research facilities, or similar complex healthcare projects.



Scope:

This project proposes to demolish Building 12 and construct a new, state-of-the-art medical research facility at an expanded size of approximately 67,500 to 82,500 gross square feet (GSF) at the San Francisco VA Medical Center (SFVAMC). The project also proposes to seismically retrofit Buildings 1, 6, and 8 to correct potentially hazardous facility, seismic, life safety and infrastructure deficiencies. As part of this project, it is planned that research program space will be transferred from Buildings 1 and 6 to the new, replacement Building 12. Building 1 is planned to be renovated to house mainly clinical office space in order to allow decompression of Building 203 (the main hospital), and Building 200 (the main ambulatory care support building). Building 6 is planned to remain administrative services, while Building 8 is planned to retain ambulatory mental health and research functions. The project will require a comprehensive facility site plan and space plan. The project will also require an Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement (as appropriate), a historic preservation and mitigation work, and community outreach and public meetings. Finally, a minimum of 250 additional parking spaces will be added to the campus in structured parking to reduce the current 750-space deficiency at SFVAMC.



Seismic design will adhere to VA's manual for Seismic Design Requirements (H-18-8). Space layout and interior partitioning will meet current VA Space Planning Guidelines and optimize patient care and staff efficiency. Applicants must demonstrate success in sustainable design including prescribing the use of recovered materials, achieving waste reduction, along with water and energy efficiencies in design; and, in addition, the project will comply with the VA Sustainable Design and Energy Reduction Manual. The project will be required to attain a minimum of LEED Silver certification. Renewable and innovative energy systems will be required as part of this project. Mechanical, plumbing, electrical, nurse call, medical gases, and fire and safety systems will meet current codes and standards. All structures and utilities will be designed to meet VAs criteria as detailed in its Physical Security Design Manual for VA Facilities, both Life-Safety Protected and Mission Critical Facilities. The design will be required to comply with the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and PG-18-13 in all areas. Required services will include preparation of equipment and furniture plans and schedules, schematics design, design development, and construction documents (both plans and specifications), medical and research equipment planning, site design, and including all appropriate architectural and engineering disciplines, and a firm estimate of construction cost.



At this time it is anticipated that the seismic retrofits of Buildings 1, 6, 8 and the Building 12 Replacement design could follow the design-bid-build delivery method and Site Utility design could follow the design-build delivery method. Once a thorough analysis of the user's and the facility's needs has been completed, the scope and method of meeting those needs may change and require a different design delivery method. The contract will include options for: design development documents, construction documents, construction period services, site visits, and other professional services.



Only firms, or teams, with in-house architectural services, recent experience in the design of contemporary, state-of-the-art medical facilities similar to that proposed will be considered. Additional tasks may include site analysis and campus master plan. Emphasis will be placed on cost and scope management capabilities and previous successful experience with construction and renovations of medical facilities, along with the proposed Quality Assurance/Quality Control procedures. In addition, the firms or teams must demonstrate their ability to effectively utilize IFC version 2x-3 (or later) compliant parametric Building Information Modeling (BIM) system in developing this project from its initial conception through completion of documentation. The team shall have the experience, ability, and data management skills to execute an integrated design approach using BIM technology. Only architects or architect/engineer firms, or teams, demonstrating the above capabilities and a planned approach to perform contract services will be considered. The design for all parts of this project are required to meet all national, state, and local building codes, regulations, and standards as well as all VA design guides and design requirements. All VA design guides and requirements can be found online at: http://www.cfm.va.gov/TIL/. Where conflicts occur between VA standards and model codes, the most stringent requirement shall govern.



In addition to design capabilities, estimating capabilities of the applicants will be considered. A market study and an estimate of construction cost based on level of design detail will be required at each design phase. The phases include Schematic Design 1, Schematic Design 2, Design Development 1, Design Development 2, and Construction Documents. The selected team shall design to the government's estimated cost for construction at time of award. More design submission requirements can be found in VA Guide PG-18-15.



Applicants must have an established working office within fifty (50) miles of the project site, 4150 Clement Street, San Francisco, California; be of sufficient size and experience to accomplish the work; and be licensed and insured to work in the State of California. Preference will be given to firms with working offices capable of performing all design work within fifty (50) miles of the San Francisco VA Medical Center, 4150 Clement Street, San Francisco, California 94121. Office site visits to verify location and capacity may be performed.



No firm will be considered unless an application consisting of a completed SF 330, Part I and other evidence of experience and capabilities the applicant considers relevant is received by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Construction and Facilities Management (00CFM3B), Attention: Katherine Volpe, Contracting Officer; 1175 Nimitz Avenue, Suite 200; Vallejo, CA 94592, six (6) hard copies and one (1) electronic copy on CD or DVD are required no later than 3:00 PM (PST) on April 11, 2011. A current SF 330 Part II, representing and differentiating among the personnel, experience and capabilities of all involved offices, must be included with the application together with current SF 330 Part IIs for each proposed consultant's office involved.



Applicants will be rated based on the following criteria which are listed in descending order of importance:



" Professional experience and qualifications of personnel proposed for assignment to the project and record of working together as a team.

­ Identify key personnel and provide resumes/curriculum vitae:

" Minimum Key Personnel

­ Project Manager

­ Alternate Project Manager

­ Architectural Designer

­ Structural Engineer

­ Civil Engineer

­ Landscape Architect

­ Electrical Engineer

­ Sustainability Consultant

­ Estimator

­ Mechanical Engineer

­ Interior designer

­ Key Personnel shall be professionally licensed in the state of the California.

­ Additional personnel for other disciplines (e.g. Historic Preservation, Blast Consulting, Commissioning, Environmental, LEED AP, etc.)



" Relevant and specialized experience and technical competence of firm (including joint ventures) in the type of work required - advance planning and design on projects of similar scale and scope identifying the role played in the project by the submitting office.

­ Example of ten (10) projects of which a minimum of at least five (5) projects must be of similar size and scope and completed within the last five (5) years.

­ Identify roles of Key Personnel on past projects

­ Proven record of successful past collaboration of the proposed team on recent projects of similar scale and scope.



" Past record of performance on contracts with the Department of Veterans Affairs, Government Agencies, and Private Industry in terms of cost control, quality of work, and compliance with performance schedules.



" Geographic location and facilities of the working office(s) which would provide the professional services and familiarity with the area in which the project is located.



" Professional capacity of the firm in the designated geographic area of the project to perform the work (including specialized services).



" Demonstrate success in prescribing the use of recovered materials and achieving waste reduction and energy efficiency and system integration in facility design.



" Management Plan:



­ Firm's Vision Statement

­ Introduction of proposed project team

" Key Personnel

" Additional Personnel

" Roles and Responsibilities

" Organization Chart

­ Personnel Change Control

­ Firm's Partnering Plan

­ Quality Management Plan

" Scope control

" Cost control

" Schedule control

" Customer Satisfaction



" Inclusion of small business consultant(s), and/or minority-owned consultant(s), and/or Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB); and/or Veteran-Owned Small Business; and/or Small Disadvantaged Business (includes Section 8(a); and/or Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Zone Small Business; and/or Women-Owned Small Business.



­ Provide Draft Small Business Subcontracting Plan



Award of contract is dependent on the availability of funding. This is not a request for a proposal. Do not include any fee information in material submitted at this time. Submissions must be limited to one hundred (100) 8 ½" X 11" (letter size) pages with no pull out or folded pages, and with a minimum 12 point type.



If subcontracting opportunities exist and the submitting firm is not a small business, the small business subcontracting goals will be: (a) 17.7% for Small Business (SB); (b) 3.0% for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB); (c) 5% for Veteran-Owned Small Business; (d) 5% for Small Disadvantaged Business (includes Section 8(a); (e) 3% for Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Zone Small Business; (f) 5% Women-Owned Small Business. Note: The covenant against contingent fee clause is applicable to this solicitation. ***



Place of Performance:

San Francisco VA Medical Center, 4150 Clement Street, San Francisco, California 94121



Contracting Office Address:

Department of Veterans Affairs

Office of Construction and Facilities Management (00CFM3B)

1175 Nimitz Avenue, Suite 200, Mare Island

Vallejo, CA 94592



Point of Contacts:

For questions regarding contracting or the selection process, please call Katherine Volpe, Contracting Officer on 707-562-8399



For questions regarding project scope, please call Warren Yip, Project Manager on 707-562-8423.