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1. GENERAL INFORMATION
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Program Contracting Activity Central (PCAC) is seeking sources and intends to award a firm fixed price design contract for Architect-Engineering (A-E) services for Project #546-22-703 EHRM Training and Administrative Support Space design at the Miami VA Healthcare System, Bruce W. Carter VAMC, 1201 Northwest 16th Street, Miami, FL 33125-1624. The A-E shall provide investigative and feasibility design services, schematic design drawings, design development drawings, construction documents, final bid documents, specifications, calculations, cost estimates, narratives, bidding support services, solicitation support services, and construction period services for all facets of work and disciplines/trades to facilitate a construction project to upgrade the facilities infrastructure to allow for the new Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) system.
The A-E Services contract that is anticipated to be awarded will be procured in accordance with the Selection of Architects and Engineers statute [formerly known as the Brooks Architect Engineer Act], Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 36.6 Architectural and Engineering Services, VA Acquisition Regulation 836.6, and VA Acquisition Manual M836.6 Architect-Engineer Services. In accordance with FAR 36.209, Construction Contracts with Architect-Engineer Firms, no contract for the construction of a project shall be awarded to the firm that designed the project or its subsidiaries or affiliates, except with the approval of the head of the agency or authorized representative.
2. PROJECT INFORMATION
This project is a 100% set-aside for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) concerns. The NAICS code for this procurement is 541330 Engineering Services and the annual small business size standard is $22.5M. A full design team is required to complete this project. The projected award date for the anticipated A-E contract is on or before May 2023.
The anticipated period of performance for completion of design is 210 calendar days after notice of award. The VAAR Magnitude of Construction for this project is between $5,000,000 and $10,000,000.
3. SCOPE OF DESIGN
The scope of this project is to provide the following for the Miami VA Healthcare System, Bruce W. Carter VAMC:
A/E Part One Services (also known as Design Phase) for this design project includes site visits, field investigation, studies, and user interviews to prepare drawings, specifications and cost estimates for all facets of work and disciplines/trades to facilitate this construction project to renovate Building 1, 4th floor area and to provide an Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) training and administrative support space at the facility. The A&E will be provided written information; participate in project planning meetings, pre-bid meeting, and pre-construction meeting as required; communicate with VA personnel via telephone or letter; and is expected to coordinate so that the final documents include all requirements in accordance with industry standard practices, VA standards, VA design manuals, and review comments.
A/E Part Two Services (Optional) of this design project (also known as Construction Period Services) includes responding to construction contractor Requests For Information (RFIs) during the solicitation (solicitation support) and construction phases of the construction project, attendance at pre-bid, post-award and kick off construction project conferences, review of construction material submittals and shop drawings, approximately two site visits per month during construction (both scheduled and emergent) to ensure compliance with the design drawings and specifications, review of any construction project modifications for cost and technical acceptability, attendance and participation during the final acceptance inspection, preparation of the punch list and preparation of record drawings of the completed construction project based on the construction contractor s as-built drawings. The A/E shall prepare a submittal log to be utilized by the VA during construction period services, maintain RFI log and provide meeting minutes for weekly construction meetings throughout the duration of construction. All Part Two Services are optional line items and will not be exercised at the time of award.
The A-E shall be solely responsible for the management, including all associated labor, equipment, materials, mailing costs, and inspection, to meet the requirements of the design project. The A-E shall further provide meeting minutes for all meetings held under this design project.
The A-E shall be professionally licensed in any state in the United States. The A-E is responsible for all services to complete the deliverables listed in the SOW. The deliverables outlined in the SOW are inclusive of the following: Quality Assurance/Quality Control Plan, Basis of Design (10%), Schematic Design (35%), Design Development (65%), Construction Documents (95%), Final Bid Documents (100%).
Please note that the 210 calendar-day period of performance for the design completion begins with the issuance of the Notice of Award (NOA) and that a Notice to Proceed (NTP) will not be issued for the completion of a design project. The construction period services will be option items that will be exercised after the award of the construction project. The period of performance for construction period services will match the period of performance for the construction project.
4. A-E SELECTION PROCESS
Firms submitting SF 330s in response to this announcement, not later than the closing date and time specified herein and in accordance with submission requirements, will be considered for initial selection evaluation. The selection process will include the evaluation of qualifications (SF 330s), discussions (written responses), and negotiations with the highest rated firm.
The evaluation of qualifications consists of the review of the provided SF 330s and determination of the highest rated firms. A minimum of three of the highest rated firms will then be shortlisted and invited to continue with written responses. All firms not shortlisted will be notified at this time and provided a debriefing if requested.
The discussions consist of the evaluation of the written responses provided by the shortlisted firms and selection of the top ranked firm. The prior evaluation of the SF 330s shall not be taken into consideration during the evaluation of the written responses. The firms selected for the written responses will be notified by email of selection and provided further instructions, including all submission requirements and a reiteration of the factors. After the written responses are received, the firms will be evaluated, and the highest rated firm will be selected to receive the solicitation and conduct negotiations. A site visit will be authorized for the highest rated firm during the negotiation process. Award selection will be made based on the results of the written responses and successful negotiation of rates and fees for the project. If negotiations are not successful with the highest rated firm, they will continue with the next highest rated firm, and so on until award can be made.
5. QUALIFICATIONS (SF 330) SELECTION CRITERIA
The following factors are listed in descending order of importance:
Primary Selection Criteria:
Professional Qualifications: Professional qualifications necessary for satisfactory performance of required service. The lead designer or A-E on staff representing the project in each discipline must be licensed or registered to practice in any state in the United States of America. Provide Professional License or Registration numbers and/or proof of Licensure or Registration. The evaluation shall consider the specific experience, and professional qualifications (i.e., education, training, registration, certifications, overall relevant experience, and longevity with the firm as full-time employees) of personnel proposed for assignment to the project. Provide a resume in section E for each of the team members proposed for the key positions and disciplines listed below. Resumes are limited to one page each and should cite project-specific experience. Proposed roles of key personnel must be clearly identified in block 13 of resumes and in the organizational chart in section D.
Key positions and disciplines required for this project include, but are not limited to: Project Manager, Electrical Engineer, Architect, Cost Estimator, Civil Engineer, Fire Protection Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Plumbing Engineer, Quality Assurance Specialist, Structural Engineer, and Physical Security Specialist.
Offeror must include the following statement of SDVOSB compliance when submitting the personnel proposed to perform the work under this requirement: I [signatory authority], of [company name] certify that the team proposed to perform under this requirement demonstrates the capability of 50% SDVOSB performance in compliance of 48 CFR 852.219-10.
The information provided in sections C through G of the SF 330 will be used to evaluate this factor. Do not include this information in section H, unless it is pertinent to support the information listed in the other sections.
Capacity: Capacity to accomplish work in the required time. The evaluation will consider the team s overall ability to meet the schedule of the project, as well as the available capacity of key disciplines to perform the work in the required time. Please provide a table to demonstrate the available capacity of each of the key personnel identified in sections D and E for the prime firm and all subcontractors. At a minimum, include the following for each key team member: name, firm, proposed role in this project, and percentage of available capacity to take on new work.
Also provide all projects awarded by the VA to the prime firm and all subcontractors during the previous 12 months from the date of the SF 330 submission. At a minimum, include the following for each project: project name, location, award date, completion percentage, and expected completion date. Provide the full potential value of any current indefinite delivery contracts for the prime firm and all subcontractors. The number of active EHRM projects and their completion percentages will be taken into consideration for the prime firm and all subcontractors. This information may be verified by the evaluation team.
The information for this factor shall be provided in section H of the SF 330. Please ensure the capacity applies toward the proposed team/personnel provided in the SF 330.
Specialized Experience: Specialized experience and technical competence of the prime firm and all subcontractors in the design and construction period services provided for projects similar in size, scope, and complexity. The projects provided in section F should include EHRM projects or projects involving the following relevant elements: data cabling, electric distribution design, building management system/building automation system (BMS/BAS), HVAC applications, interior renovations, and building out medical training spaces. At a minimum, include the following for each submitted project: design start and end dates, construction start and end dates (if applicable), design amount, estimated or final construction amount, and specialized scope items that may include critical path scheduling, fire protection, construction infection control protocols, energy conservation, sustainable design practices, and specialized building types requiring physical security measures.
Include no more than five Government and/or private experience projects that best illustrate specialized experience as listed above, with at least 95% of the design completed. Applicable projects must have been awarded within the past eight years from the date of the SF 330 submission. Any projects submitted that exceed the limit will not be considered during the evaluation. The evaluation of the submitted projects will consider the relevant work performed; coordination of disciplines and subcontractors; prior experience of the prime firm and any key subcontractors working together on relevant projects; and familiarity with VA Design Guides/Manuals, Master Specifications, and other applicable standards. All projects provided in the SF 330 must involve some effort or contribution from a firm, office, branch, or individual team member proposed to perform work under this contract.
The information provided in sections F and G of the SF 330 will be used to evaluate this factor. Do not include this information in section H, unless it is pertinent to support the information listed in the other sections.
Past Performance: Past performance on contracts with Government agencies and/or private industry in terms of cost control, quality of work, and compliance with performance schedules. The past performance will be evaluated for all projects provided in section F, to include a review of Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) ratings. Provide performance reports for all projects submitted in section F and include the following information for each project: contract/task order number, project title, prime firm, start date, and completion date. Evaluations may also include additional performance-related information from the firm, customer inquiries, Government databases, publicly available sources, additional projects in CPARS, and other information available to the Government, including communications with points of contact in other criteria.
Evaluations will consider superior performance ratings on recently completed VA projects as well as the reputation and standing of the firm and its principal officials with respect to professional performance, general management, and cooperativeness. As appropriate, the record of significant claims against the firm because of improper or incomplete architectural and engineering services will be considered. Failure to provide requested data, accessible points of contact, or valid phone numbers may result in a firm being considered less qualified. All projects provided in the SF 330 must involve some effort or contribution from a firm, office, branch, or individual team member proposed to perform work under this contract.
The information for this factor shall be provided in section H of the SF 330. If there is no CPARS data available, Past Performance Questionnaires (PPQs) will be accepted. Please utilize the attached PPQ document. *PPQs should not be submitted by the evaluator to VHA PCAC directly. Completed PPQs must be incorporated into the SF 330 submission. PPQs will be counted towards the page limitation for this submission. A Neutral rating will be selected if the past performance information (CPAR, PPQ, letter of recommendation, or any similar performance review) for the projects submitted in section F is missing or insufficient for a determination on past performance to be made.
Locality: Knowledge of the locality. Demonstrate and describe experience in the local area and the specific knowledge of certain local conditions or project site features the experience provided. This description may include:
Any prime firm or subcontractor experience within the VISN or at the VAMC
Soil conditions and any effects they could have on required trenching or digging (if applicable)
Approach to addressing any unique climate conditions
Geological conditions, such as seismic
State or local construction codes, laws, or regulations
If prior experience in or specific knowledge of the local area is minimal, describe how the team plans to obtain any specific knowledge of certain local conditions or project site features required for this project.
The information for this factor shall be provided in section H of the SF 330. Note that the intent of this factor is to showcase a firm s understanding of the site and locality, and not where the firm is located and how they would travel to the site. Information related to the firm s location shall be provided in section H, under Secondary Selection Criteria - Geographic Location.
Construction Period Services: Describe your team s approach to providing construction period services that may include: professional field inspections during the construction period; review of construction submittals; support in answering requests for information (RFIs) during the construction period; support of construction contract changes, including drafting statements of work and cost estimates; attendance at weekly conference calls; providing minutes of meetings between the A-E, VA, and contractors; commissioning; pre-final inspection site visits; generation of punch-list reports; and production of as-built documentation. List project examples to demonstrate the prime firm s experience with construction period services.
The information for this factor shall be provided in section H of the SF 330.
Secondary Selection Criteria:
Geographic Location: Location of the firm, as measured by the driving distance (miles) between the offeror s principal business location and the projects site. Determination of the mileage will be based on Google Maps (www.google.com/maps/dir/).
*The secondary selection criterion is used as a tiebreaker, if necessary, in ranking the most highly qualified firms following the completion of the SF 330 evaluations. The secondary selection criterion will not be applied when determining a firm s SF 330 submission Excellent, Acceptable, Good, Marginal, or Unacceptable.
The information for this factor shall be provided in section H of the SF 330.
6. DISCUSSIONS (WRITTEN RESPONSES) SELECTION CRITERIA
In accordance with FAR 36.602-3(c), discussions will be conducted in the form of written responses. The selected firms will be invited to present their written responses to predetermined questions. The instructions for the written responses will be provided to the selected firms only. Each firm that submits written responses will be evaluated based on their responses to the evaluation criteria. The highest-ranked firm will be selected based on their ratings from the written responses. The previous ratings from the SF 330 evaluations are not applicable during discussions.
Below are the evaluation factors for the written responses. All factors listed are of equal importance.
Project Understanding: Discuss the team s knowledge of the function of the spaces to be designed and the systems the space will support. Provide an example of a project that you would consider to be similar to this project and how it was successfully completed. Also describe your firm s strategy to keep the design within the construction budget. Explain anticipated cost-related difficulties and the solutions your team would implement to address them.
Project Challenges: Identify elements in the SOW and supporting attachments that you see as challenges and provide recommendations for addressing each of these challenges. Simply restating the requirements (i.e., copying and pasting from the SOW) is not a sufficient response for this factor. Information about this project s challenges should provide specific examples and a plan on how each challenge will be managed. Discuss lessons learned from recent EHRM or similar projects and how you plan to apply that knowledge to this project.
Design Development: Discuss your firm s plan to implement the unique design elements required due to local climate and geological conditions. Include your knowledge of VA design guide requirements, Florida state and local codes, and construction methods. Address how your team has adapted to changes in EHRM design requirements during both the design and construction phases.
Schedule Management: Discuss confidence and approach to completing this design project within the period of performance. Describe the team s strategy to complete the specific tasks required for this project and the technologies that will be used to stay on schedule. Address how the team will accomplish the necessary site investigations and ensure new work will not conflict with existing work.
7. SUBMISSION CRITERIA/REQUIREMENTS
The below information contains the instructions and format that shall be followed for the submission of the SF 330 Statement of Qualifications:
Submit ONE (1) SF 330 Statement of Qualifications to Jason Phillip at jason.phillip@va.gov. This shall include Parts I and II and any applicable attachments.
The submission must include the SF 330, Architect-Engineer Qualifications (form is available online at http://www.cfm.va.gov/contract/ae.asp).
The SF 330 submission is due by 2:00 PM ET ON January 5, 2022.
The SF 330 shall be submitted in one email and have a file size no larger than 5 MB. No hard copies will be accepted.
The subject line of the email shall read: Miami SF330 R0005
The SF 330 submission shall not exceed a total of FIFTY (50) pages. This includes CPARS and/or PPQs and any other relevant information. Any pages submitted by an offeror that exceed the limit will not be considered during the evaluation. Each page shall be in Arial or Times New Roman, size 12 font, single spaced. The title page, table of contents, and Part II of the SF 330 will NOT count toward the page limitation.
A PPQ from previous projects may be submitted for this project. If significant portions of a project have been completed since the previous PPQ was filled out, a new PPQ should be submitted to accurately assess the project. *Important Note: All PPQs should be completed by the evaluator and returned to the A-E firm. The submitting A-E firm must incorporate completed PPQs into the SF 330 document. PPQs should not be submitted by the evaluator directly to VHA PCAC.
In addition to the SF 330 submissions, firms must provide a second accompanying document that includes the following information (the accompanying document will not count toward the page limitation of the SF 330):
Cage Code
SAM Unique Entity Identifier
Tax ID Number
The email address and phone number of the Primary Point of Contact
A copy of the firm s Vet Biz Registry
All questions shall be submitted to jason.phillip@va.gov with the subject line Miami R0005 Question. The cutoff for question submission is 2:00 PM ET ON December 13, 2022. Questions will be answered through modification to the Pre-Sol Notice posted to Contract Opportunities at SAM.gov.
All prime firms must meet the NAICS code requirement specified in this notice. The Contracting Officer shall verify the NAICS code in VIP and/or the System for Award Management (SAM). Failure to meet the NAICS code requirement may result in the rejection of the SF 330 submission.
This procurement is a 100% set-aside for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) concerns. Offers received from other than SDVOSBs will not be considered. All SDVOSBs must be listed as verified by the VA s Center for Verification and Evaluation (CVE). Offerors must be verified by CVE and visible in the Vendor Information Pages (VIP) database (http://www.vetbiz.va.gov/vip/) at the time of SF 330 submission, written response submission, and award. Failure to be BOTH visible and verified at these times will result in the offeror being deemed unacceptable and ineligible for award.
All Joint Ventures must be CVE verified at the time of SF 330 submission, written response submission, and award and must submit agreements that comply with 13CFR 125.15 prior to contract award.
SF 330 submissions received after the date and time specified will not be considered. Late proposal rules per FAR 15.208 will be followed for late submittals. Firms not providing the required information may not be evaluated. All information must be included in the SF 330 submission package.
It is the offeror s responsibility to check the Contract Opportunities website at SAM.gov for any revisions to this announcement prior to submitting their SF 330.

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