This request for A-E firm qualifications packages is 100% set-aside for Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) concerns under VAAR 852.219- 10, VA Notice of Total Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Set-Aside/ VA NOTICE OF TOTAL SERVICE-DISABLED VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE (JUL 2019) (DEVIATION). THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR SF 330'S ARCHITECT/ENGINEER QUALIFICATION PACKAGES ONLY. ALL INFORMATION NEEDED TO SUBMIT SF 330 DOCUMENTS IS CONTAINED HEREIN. NO SOLICITATION PACKAGE, TECHNICAL INFORMATION, OR BIDDER/PLAN HOLDER LIST WILL BE ISSUED. THERE WILL BE NO SITE VISITS ARRANGED DURING THIS PHASE OF THE REQUIREMENT. PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT FOR PROCUREMENT OF ARCHITECT-ENGINEERING (A/E) SERVICES: This is a request for Standard Form 330, Architect-Engineer Qualifications only. A-E Services are being procured in accordance with the Selection of Architects and Engineers Statute (Public Law 92-582), formerly known as the Brooks Act, and implemented in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 36.6. All submissions will be evaluated in accordance with the below selection criteria. The Government will not pay, nor reimburse, any costs associated with responding to this request. The Government is under no obligation to award a contract as a result of this announcement. Firms will be selected based on demonstrated competence and qualifications for the required work. Any resulting award for the proposed A/E services will be procured under a negotiated Firm-Fixed Price contract. GENERAL INFORMATION: The Department of Veterans Affairs, Fayetteville Veterans Administration Medical Center (VAMC), is seeking Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business sources and intends to award a firm fixed-price contract for Architect/Engineering (A/E) firm to provide services for Project # 565-24-103, Renovate 3C Laboratory A/E Design located at 2300 Ramsey St., Fayetteville 28301. (See Scope of Work). The A/E Services listed herein is being procured in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 36.6 and VAAR 836.6. Potential contractors must be registered in SAM (www.sam.gov) and visible/certified in Vet Biz (https://www.vip.vetbiz.va.gov) at time of submission of their qualifications in order to be considered for an award. As a prospective offeror or bidder for this Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) set aside, you are verifying your company meets the status requirements of a SDVOSB concern as established by VAAR 852.219-10. NOTE - Offerors are referred to 852.219-10 (d)(1) Services. In the case of a contract for services (except construction), it will not pay more than 50% of the amount paid by the government to it to firms that are not VIP-listed SDVOSBs. In order to assure compliance with this clause, all firms submitting a SF330 for this Sources Sought Notice are required to indicate what percentage of the cost of contract performance will be expended by the concerns employees and in which discipline(s) and percentage of cost of contract performance to be expended (and in what disciplines) by any other subcontracted or otherwise used small or large business entity(s). Any subcontracted or otherwise business entity(s) used must be identified by name, office location and size/type of business (i.e. SDVOSB, VOSB, 8(a), large, etc.). All submissions will be evaluated in accordance with the evaluation selection criteria as specified herein. Point of Contact: Angelo Harris, Contract Specialist Email:
[email protected] PROJECT INFORMATION: Project # 565-24-103, Renovate 3C for Lab Fayetteville VAMC 2300 Ramsey St. Fayetteville, NC 28301 **SEE ATTACHED SCOPE OF WORK. The NAICS Code for this acquisition is 541310, Architectural Services and the applicable Small Business Size Standard is $8 to $11 million annual revenue. The duration of the project is currently estimated at 180 calendar days from the issuance of the Notice to Proceed. An Architect & Engineer (A/E) contract will be negotiated for the development of complete construction documents which include working drawings, specifications, reports, and construction period services. The A/E will be given written information; participate in project planning meetings, pre-proposal meeting, and pre-construction meeting as required; communicate with VA personnel via telephone or e-mail; 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 SELECTION PROCESS: The agency has convened an evaluation board for the evaluation of responses to this notice. Responses will be evaluated in accordance with the Selection of Architects and Engineers Statute (Public Law 92-582), formerly known as the Brooks Act, and implemented in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 36.6. Specifically, SF 330 submissions will be evaluated to identify the most highly qualified firms, using the selection criteria identified below. Discussions will be held with at least three (3) of the most highly qualified firms. Interviews may be conducted. The processes at FAR 36.602-4 and FAR 36.606 will then be followed. Selected firms will be notified by telephone or email of selection and provided further instructions. Evaluating past performance and experience may include information provided by the firm, customer inquiries, Government databases, and publicly available sources. Failure to provide requested data, accessible points of contact or valid phone numbers could result in a firm being considered less qualified. All projects provided in the SF330 must be completed by the office/branch/individual team member actually performing the work under this contract. SELECTION CRITERIA: The Department of Veterans Affairs shall evaluate each potential contractor in terms of the following as M firm meeting the synopsized selection criterion and "NM" means that the firm did not meet the synopsized selection criterion. Evaluation and selection of firms will be based on submissions and direct responses to the following criteria: Selection Criteria Evaluation and selection of firms will be based on submissions and direct responses to the following criteria which are numbered in descending order of importance: (1) Professional qualifications necessary for satisfactory performance of required services; Provide brief resumes of proposed team members who will specifically serve as the Project Managers and Designers of Record. The Designers of Record shall perform and direct the design within their respective discipline and shall sign and seal the drawings. All Designers of Record must be professionally registered in their discipline. Each resume shall include a minimum of two (2) specific completed projects that best illustrate the individual team members experience relevant to this contract scope and demonstrate each team member having more than 5 years of experience; (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; (3) Capacity to accomplish the work in the required time; This factor evaluates the ability of the firm, given their current projected workload and the availability of their key personnel, to accomplish the possible myriad of design projects in the required time. The general workload and staffing capacity of the design office will be evaluated. I. List current projects with a design fee of greater than $20,000 being designed in the firms office. II. Indicate the firms present workload and the availability of the project team (including sub-consultants) for the specified contract performance period; III. Describe experience in successfully delivering projects per performance schedule, providing timely construction support, and successfully completing multiple projects with similar delivery dates IV. Volume of VA contract awards in the last 12 months. (4) Past performance on contracts with Government agencies and private industry in terms of cost control, quality of work, and compliance with performance schedules; NCO6 will evaluate past performance on recent and relevant contracts with government agencies (emphasis on VA work) and private industry in terms of cost control, quality of work, compliance with performance schedules, and a record of significant claims against the firm due to improper or incomplete engineering services (references required). Submission Requirements: i. Submit a minimum of three (3) references; any of the following evaluations are acceptable: a. Contractor Performance Assessment Report System (CPARS), or b. Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ) evaluation for each project submitted. PPQ s are to be submitted by the reference directly to the Contract Specialist via email (
[email protected]). ii. If a completed CPARS evaluation is available, it shall be submitted with the completed SF330 package. If there is not a completed CPARS evaluation, the PPQ included with this notice is provided for the Offeror or its team members to submit for each project included in criterion (2). If a PPQ is submitted, but an official CPARS evaluation is found for that project in government databases, the official evaluation will take precedence. If a CPARS evaluation is not available, ensure correct phone numbers and email addresses are provided for each contract customer/reference. Completed PPQs shall be submitted directly to the Contracting Officer by the reference. iii. A-Es should follow-up with references to ensure timely submittal of questionnaires. The reference questionnaires shall be submitted directly to the Governments point of contact, Angelo Harris, Contract Specialist, via email at
[email protected], prior to the response date. A-Es shall not incorporate by references into their response CPARS or PPQ evaluations previously submitted in response to other A-E services procurements. However, this does not preclude the Government from utilizing previously submitted PPQ information in the past performance evaluation. Submitted CPARS and PPQ evaluations will not be counted as part of the 60-page limitation and shall be attached to the SF330, behind the SF330 Part II document NOTE: Recent is defined as performance occurring within 5 years of the date of this notice, except that ongoing projects must have begun no less than one (1) year prior to the issuance of this notice. Relevancy is defined as performance of work on projects that are similar in scope to the types of projects anticipated under the resultant contracts. Respondents with no previous past performance shall state this when addressing the selection criteria. Where there is no record of past performance, the proposal will be evaluated neither favorably nor unfavorably. Superior performance ratings on relevant projects may be considered more favorably in the evaluation. Reputation and standing of the firm and its principal officials with respect to professional performance, general management, and cooperativeness. (Awards, Outstanding Merits, Recommendations) Record of significant claims against the firm because of improper or incomplete architectural and engineering services. PLEASE NOTE: The AE Evaluation Board must be provided with complete and accurate information for ALL evaluation factors above as qualified and eligible firms. Therefore, the AE firm must expand upon, as it deems necessary, on any evaluation factor not well demonstrated or addressed with Part 1A to Part IG and Part II of the SF330. The AE firm shall use Part IH and/or use additional sheets to supplement/address all evaluation factors to clearly demonstrate its qualifications. QUESTION PERIOD: Questions shall be submitted to the Contract Specialist, Angelo Harris, via email at
[email protected] by January 05,2023 at 10:00 AM EST. All relevant questions will be addressed by amendment. LIMITATIONS 852.219-10 VA Notice of Total Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Set-Aside. As prescribed in 819.7009, insert the following clause: VA NOTICE OF TOTAL SERVICE-DISABLED VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE (JUL 2019) (DEVIATION) (a) Definition. For the Department of Veterans Affairs, Service-disabled Veteran-owned small business concern or SDVSOB: (1) Means a small business concern (i) Not less than 51 percent of which is owned by one or more service-disabled Veterans or, in the case of any publicly owned business, not less than 51 percent of the stock of which is owned by one or more service-disabled Veterans or eligible surviving spouses (see VAAR 802.201, Surviving Spouse definition); (ii) The management and daily business operations of which are controlled by one or more service-disabled Veterans (or eligible surviving spouses) or, in the case of a service-disabled Veteran with permanent and severe disability, the spouse or permanent caregiver of such Veteran; (iii) The business meets Federal small business size standards for the applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code identified in the solicitation document; (iv) The business has been verified for ownership and control pursuant to 38 CFR 74 and is so listed in the Vendor Information Pages database, (https://www.vip.vetbiz.va.gov); and (v) The business will comply with VAAR subpart 819.70 and Small Business Administration (SBA) regulations regarding small business size and government contracting programs at 13 CFR part 121 and 125, including the nonmanufacturer rule and limitations on subcontracting requirements in 13 CFR 121.406 and 125.6, provided that any reference therein to a service-disabled veteran-owned small business concern (SDVO SBC), is to be construed to apply to a VA verified and VIP-listed SDVOSB. The nonmanufacturer rule and the limitations on subcontracting apply to all SDVOSB and VOSB set-asides and sole source contracts. (2) Service-disabled Veteran means a Veteran, as defined in 38 U.S.C. 101(2), with a disability that is service-connected, as defined in 38 U.S.C. 101(16). (b) General. (1) Offers are solicited only from eligible service-disabled Veteran-owned small business concerns. Only VIP-listed service-disabled Veteran-owned small business concerns (SDVOSBs) may submit offers in response to this solicitation. Offers received from concerns that are not VIP-listed service-disabled Veteran-owned small business concerns shall not be considered. (2) Any award resulting from this solicitation shall be made to a VIP-listed service-disabled Veteran-owned small business concern that meets the size standard for the applicable NAICS code. (c) Representation. By submitting an offer, the prospective contractor represents that it is an eligible SDVOSB as defined in this clause, 38 CFR part 74, and VAAR subpart 819.70. Pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 8127(e), only VIP-listed SDVOSBs are considered eligible. Therefore, any reference in 13 CFR part 121 and 125 to a service-disabled Veteran-owned small business concern (SDVO SBC), is to be construed to apply to a VA verified and VIP-listed SDVOSB and only such concern(s) qualify as similarly situated. The offeror must also be eligible at the time of award. (d) Agreement. When awarded a contract (see FAR 2.101, Definitions), including orders under multiple-award contracts, or a subcontract, an SDVOSB agrees that in the performance of the contract, the SDVOSB shall comply with requirements in VAAR subpart 819.70 and SBA regulations on small business size and government contracting programs at 13 CFR part 121 and 125, including the nonmanufacturer rule and limitations on subcontracting requirements in 13 CFR part 121.406 and 125.6, provided that for purposes of the limitations on subcontracting, only VIP-listed SDVOSBs shall be considered eligible and/or similarly situated (i.e., a firm that has the same small business program status as the prime contractor). An independent contractor shall be considered a subcontractor. An otherwise eligible firm further agrees to the following: (1) Services. In the case of a contract for services (except construction), it will not pay more than 50% of the amount paid by the government to it to firms that are not VIP-listed SDVOSBs. (2) Supplies or products. (i) In the case of a contract for supplies or products (other than from a nonmanufacturer of such supplies), it will not pay more than 50% of the amount paid by the government to it to firms that are not VIP-listed SDVOSBs. (ii) In the case of a contract for supplies from a nonmanufacturer, it will supply the product of a domestic small business manufacturer or processor, unless a waiver is described in 13 CFR 121.406(b)(5) is granted. (3) General construction. In the case of a contract for general construction, it will not pay more than 85% of the amount paid by the government to it to firms that are not VIP-listed SDVOSBs. (4) Special trade contractors. In the case of a contract for special trade contractors, it will not pay more than 75% of the amount paid by the government to it to firms that are not VIP-listed SDVOSBs. (5) Subcontracting. Any work that a VIP-listed SDVOSB subcontractor further subcontracts will count towards the percent of subcontract amount that cannot be exceeded. For supply or construction contracts, cost of materials is excluded and not considered to be subcontracted. For mixed contracts and additional limitations, refer to 13 CFR 125.6. (e) Joint ventures. A joint venture may be considered an SDVOSB if the joint venture is listed in VIP and complies with the requirements in 13 CFR 125.18(b), provided that any reference therein to service-disabled Veteran-owned small business concern or SDVO SBC, is to be construed to mean a VIP-listed SDVOSB. A joint venture agrees that, in the performance of the contract, the applicable percentage specified in paragraph (d) of this clause will be performed by the aggregate of the joint venture participants. (f) Precedence. For any inconsistencies between the requirements of the SBA program for service-disabled Veteran-owned small business concerns and the VA Veterans First Contract Program, as defined in VAAR subpart 819.70 and this clause, the VA Veterans First Contracting Program requirements have precedence. SUBMISSION CRITERIA/REQUIREMENTS: Interested firms having the capabilities to perform this work must submit: ONE (1) ELECTRONIC SF 330, including Parts I and II, and attachments (if any) electronically to
[email protected] no later than 10:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday, January 17, 2023. Interested firms are responsible for ensuring electronic delivery of submission by the time and the date specified. It is highly recommended interested firms confirm electronic submissions have been received by the Contracting Officer. All SF-330 submissions shall be clearly marked with the subject line displaying the SF-330 Submission: 36C24623R0019 Fayetteville VAMC Renovate 3C for Lab . Size limits of e-mails are restricted to 10MB. If more than one email is sent, please number emails in Subjects as 1 of n . (Example: SF-330 Submission: 36C24623R0019 Fayetteville VAMC Renovate 3C for Lab (1 of n, 2 of n, etc.). Interested firms are responsible for ensuring delivery of submission. All SF 330 submissions must include the following information either on the SF 330 or by accompanying document: 1) Cage Code 2) Unique Entity Identifier/Dun & Bradstreet Number 3) Tax ID Number 4) The E-mail address and Phone number of the Primary Point of Contact 5) A copy of the firms VetBiz Registry 6) SF 330 MUST INDICATE THE PERCENTAGE of the contract performance cost that will be expended by the prime firm s employees and in which discipline(s) and subcontracted percentage of contract performance cost to be expended (and in what disciplines). Any subcontracted or otherwise business entity must be identified by name, office location and size/type of business (i.e. SDVOSB, VOSB, 8(a), large, etc.). This is in order to assure compliance with FAR Clause 52.219-14(b)(1) Limitations on Subcontracting. Failure to provide this information may deem the Firm as nonresponsive and preclude SF 330 submittal from being included further in the evaluation process. 7) References noted in Selection Criteria The firm and/or AE on staff representing the project must follow State of North Carolina guidelines under State law for all licensing requirements to sign and seal drawings. Each respondent must be able to demonstrate the ability to comply with FAR Clause 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting. Electronic submittals 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 considered. All information must be included in the SF330 submission package. It is the offeror s responsibility to check the Contract Opportunities website at: Beta.SAM.gov for any revisions to this announcement prior to submission of SF330s.