Description
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR THE HOOSIER NATIONAL FOREST, BROWNSTOWN RANGER DISTRICT ONLY. NOTE: A SEPARATE REQUIREMENT IS BEING ISSUED FOR THE TELL CITY RANGER DISTRICT. (See AG-3434-S-16-0028) PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING CHANGE: REMOVE PARAGRAPH 5.a. AND INSERT THE FOLLOWING: 5.a. Firms should demonstrate the ability to provide qualified personnel. The contract requires that an Indiana Registered Professional Surveyor must oversee and supervise the field work associated with each task order for corner establishment and measurements. Award of a contract will not restrict the Government from having cadastral surveying services performed by Government employees during the contract period. The USDA, Forest Service has a requirement for a Requirements Contract (per FAR Part 16.503) for Cadastral Surveying Services on the Hoosier National Forest in Indiana. The Hoosier National Forest is located throughout the hills of southern Indiana having a total area of 202,814 acres. The Forest is divided into 2 distinct Ranger Districts. The Hoosier National Forest's headquarters, and the Brownstown Ranger District, are located in Bedford, Indiana with another District Ranger's office in Tell City, Indiana The primary purpose of this acquisition is to provide professional surveying services as required for administration of National Forest System Lands in Indiana. The work includes surveying and marking property boundaries of land within the Hoosier National Forest, Brownstown Ranger District Boundary. This requirement will be procured in accordance with the Brooks Act procedures as described in FAR Part 36.6 for Architect and Engineer Services. The successful firm will be required to furnish all services, materials, supplies, labor, equipment, investigations, inspections, tests, studies, superintendence and travel as required to perform Cadastral Surveying Services. Work will include identification, monumentation and perpetuation of property corners and controlling corners for land surveys performed to locate property boundaries, boundary line posting and maintenance of previously posted lines, right-of-way surveys, topographic surveys, geodetic control, mapping and other incidental work normally associated with the survey profession. The projects performed under this contract will primarily focus on retracement surveys of previous surveys of USA acquired/owned parcels, newly acquired parcels, rectangular PLSS sections and subdivisions, retracement and/or survey of Congressionally Designated Area boundaries such as natural resource area boundaries, marking and posting of National Forest boundaries, monumentation of new, obliterated or lost boundary controlling corners, maintenance of previously marked boundary lines, general control surveys, preparation of Plats of Survey and Monument Records, Rights of Way and easement surveys, preparation of surveyor's reports, control diagrams and tract descriptions, and other miscellaneous work incidental to the survey profession. The Government anticipates award of one firm-fixed priced requirements contract for the area identified as the Brownstown Ranger District as a result of this announcement. The period of contract performance will be for a base period of one year from date of initial award with the option to exercise four (4) additional one year periods. The intent is to have a contract awarded in late July 2016. Individual task orders will be issued against the awarded contract as needed to accomplish the work within the forest boundaries. Completion time will vary with each individual task order, and will be negotiated prior to task order award. The contracts will not preclude the Forest Service from using its own surveyors to perform surveys in the project area. The Government makes no representation as to the number of task orders or the actual amount of work to be ordered. Only firms with Registered Professional Surveyor(s) licensed in the State of Indiana will be considered. An Indiana Registered Professional Surveyor must oversee and supervise the field work associated with each task order for corner establishment and measurements. Award of a contract will not restrict the Government from having cadastral surveying services performed by Government employees during the contract period. Firms interested in providing Cadastral Surveying Services of the type listed above are hereby invited to demonstrate their qualifications with respect to the evaluation criteria described below through submission of the following: • SF-330: Architect - Engineer Qualifications o Part I, Contract Specific Qualifications o Part II, General Qualifications • Supplemental Narrative o Address the evaluation criteria and data requested in items 1-5, below Selection of a firm for unit price negotiation shall be made through an order of preference using Brooks Act procedures, based on demonstrated competence and qualifications for the work, that include the following evaluation criteria listed in descending order of importance: 1. Location in the general geographic area of the project and knowledge of the locality of the project; provided, that application of this criterion leaves an appropriate number of qualified firms, given the nature and size of the project. a. Provide location of headquarters office and/or branch office(s). Greater consideration will be given to firms located in or within 50 miles of the Hoosier National Forest Supervisor's Office, 811 Constitution Ave, Bedford, IN 47421. i. If your firm's office is not located within a 50 mile radius, indicate how you plan to provide services in a cost-effective manner. b. Provide history of prior survey experience indicating a specific knowledge of prior surveys in customary trade areas. Customary trade area is the Hoosier National Forest in Indiana. c. Firms should demonstrate professional knowledge of the geographical area of concern, the ability to successfully perform survey projects in the geographic area being proposed, and the ability to logistically handle projects within the geographic area. This includes demonstrated knowledge of the survey history (local and government), knowledge of local survey records access and where they are maintained (recorded and non-recorded) in the geographic area. 2. Specialized experience and technical competence in the type of work required, including, where appropriate, experience in energy conservation, pollution prevention, waste reduction, and the use of recovered materials. a. Demonstrate a thorough and professional understanding of proper survey methods, laws and procedures to meet State and/or Federal survey requirements. b. Describe your firm's experience with and technical competence in performing land surveying for the USDA Forest Service or other Federal public land management agencies, including boundary posting standards. c. Provide a written description of the procedures your firm follows when preparing to search for a corner monument, including the procedures your firm follows when a corner monument is not initially found. d. State how you would approach boundary line establishment and retracement. e. Explain how you would identify and address a boundary conflict between adjoining landowners. Discuss your firm's approach used on previous surveys to resolve problems resulting from conflicting record title or physical evidence. f. Submit a sample surveyor's report accompanied by a plat (suitable for filing in the public record) showing work performed on rural, forested land. NOTE: IF A FIRM FAILS TO PROVIDE A PROPER SURVEY BOUNDARY SURVEY PLAT THEY WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR SELECTION. g. Provide the quality control processes or the plan used by the firm, and the project management approach to be used to perform survey services. Describe the steps to ensure compliance with contract specifications. Explain the quality control of data collection and knowledge of one or more software packages capable of preforming survey closures and error analysis. I NOTE: IS A FIRM FAILS TO PROVIDE A QUALITY CONTROL PROCESS/PLAN THEY WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR SELECTION. 3. Past performance on contracts with Government agencies and private industry in terms of cost control, quality of work, and compliance with performance schedules. a. Provide at least three references for boundary survey and/or property line marking projects equal to or larger than a half Public Land Survey System section (i.e., ~320 acres) in a forested, rugged and steep terrain setting. b. Firm shall demonstrate a successful record of performing similar projects to customer satisfaction within their allotted contract time. The knowledge of the firm, aided by supporting documentation will be used to determine past similar projects. 4. Capacity to accomplish the work in the required time. a. Multiple Task Orders may be issued concurrently or consecutively. Indicate the capacity to ensure deadlines are met when accomplishing work in a specified geographic area with identified personnel and equipment. Firms should demonstrate the ability to provide a sufficient amount of capital, personnel and survey equipment, including survey grade GPS equipment, to successfully complete various sized projects in the required time. i. Provide a personnel list and equipment list as necessary. b. If using subcontractors for part of the project work, specify what duties they would perform. 5. Professional qualifications necessary for satisfactory performance of required services. a. REVISED: Firms should demonstrate the ability to provide qualified personnel. The contract requires that an Indiana Registered Professional Surveyor must oversee and supervise the field work associated with each task order for corner establishment and measurements. Award of a contract will not restrict the Government from having cadastral surveying services performed by Government employees during the contract period. b. The Professional Land Surveyor designated as being in charge and responsible must demonstrate cadastral survey experience with a professional, complete and thorough understanding of the technical and legal approaches to the proposed work, as defined by the applicable State standards. c. Provide resumes of Registered Land Surveyors and key personnel to include all PLSS surveying experience, and any prior Forest Service cadastral survey experience. d. Personnel will be evaluated based upon type of experience, professional licensing, knowledge of the PLSS, level of formal education, and amount of continuing education. The selection criteria listed above needs to be addressed in the appropriate sections of the SF-330 for the prime contractor as well as the proposed team, including all joint venture partners, subcontractors, consultants and free-lance associates. Firms responding to this announcement before the closing date will be considered for selection, subject to any limitations indicated with respect to size, geographic locations of firm, specialized technical expertise, or other requirements listed. Following evaluation of the qualifications and performance data submitted, the Government intends to offer a formal solicitation and enter into negotiations with the highest rated technical offer. If a mutually agreed to contract cannot be reached, the Contracting Officer will formally terminate negotiations with the highest rated technical offer and proceed to negotiate with the second highest rated technical offeror. This acquisition is set aside 100% for small business concerns. The North American Industry Classification System Code is 541370 and the size standard is $15 million. All interested firms are advised that registration in the System for Award Management database (www.sam.gov) is required prior to award of a contract. Solicitation packages are not available. This is not a Request for Proposals. Please submit three (3) complete copies of the SF-330 and other required information to USDA, Forest Service; Allegheny National Forest; Attn: ORB-PZ / Mark Corse, 4 Farm Colony Drive, Warren, PA 16365 by 4:00 p.m. EST, Tuesday May 31, 2016.