Description
NAICS Code: 541620 Technical Support for the Green Construction Specifications Project Following are the Background, SOW with required Tasks and Deliverables schedule, and the Evaluation criteria to be used for a Best Value to the Government award decision. The EPA website for any potential additional information on this RFQ is http://www.epa.gov/oamhpod1/oppts_grp/0200187.index.htm ** Background:** Under Executive Order 13101 (issued in September 1998), EPA is responsible for providing guidance to federal agencies to assist them in practicing environmentally-preferable purchasing (EPP). EPA's Environmentally-Preferable Purchasing Program is currently developing a number of tools to help federal purchasers practice EPP. The EPP suite of tools is described on the EPP webpage at .* Because construction and renovation of buildings constitute a large share of federal expenditures, the EPP program has a special interest in providing tools to promote environmental purchasing during these activities. Being able to offer federal building project managers, as well as private sector architects, access to a database of construction specifications, from which they could write specifications for both new construction and renovation projects, that describe quality, affordable environmental products would support that goal. * In FY2000, theGreenTeam, Inc. conducted, under contract with EPA, a Feasibility Study for Green Construction Specifications Database. In particular, the Study addressed the feasibility of creating or compiling model green specifications language that could be available initially to federal agencies and eventually to the public. This Study demonstrated that there is extremely little "quality" technical language guidance available. Also, while developing technical language "from scratch" appeared quite costly, the Study identified a few projects in the public domain that could be used to form the basis of model green construction specifications language. Despite differences in style and format, the various project examples tend to specify similar green construction materials and methods. Their similarities reinforce the prevailing green building industry perspective that certain ?green minimums' are being established and can be expected for a green building. However, they also indicate that ? in both federal work and in private projects ? the industry has matured sufficiently that, without such a resource compiling current best practices, excessive time and energy may be spent on researching and developing green construction specifications language that already exists in some form or fashion.* Based on the study and comments received subsequently, EPA seeks contractor support under this statement of work for technical support in identifying and developing content to be used for development of a publicly available Green Construction Specifications data resource.*** Tasks:** The contractor shall perform the following tasks:* TASK 1. Review existing environmentally preferable purchasing documents. Eliminate redundant information. Reformat to model construction specifications language (in CSI format). Identify issues and model specifications language in Divisions 1-16 relative to: resource management and conservation, toxicity and impacts on human health, and performance issues such as energy efficiency and water management. It is intended that ONLY green specification language be included in the Database, not entire specifications sections. It is estimated that the Database shall include 40 - 50 Technical Specifications Sections plus 8 -10 Division 1 Sections.** TASK 2. Incorporate other publicly available, specifications language. Such language includes: NAVFAC, USPS, and WasteSpec. Using this information, provide the same process as task 1.** TASK 3. Build compilation into "model language." The Database will be the most useful to building industry professionals (both public and private) if it includes not only sample contract document language, but also guidance regarding the editing and development of such language. This is consistent with industry master specifications that typically include ?notes-to-Specifier' and/or separate coordinating ?instructions' for editing/developing the specifications. Incorporate environmental issues information.** TASK 4. Develop specific revision recommendations to the Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) Industrial Store for Construction Products.** TASK 5. Develop specific recommendations for cross-referencing this project work to the Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG). ** Deliverables and Schedule:** All five tasks are due to be completed by March 31, 2003.** All deliverables shall be made available in both hardcopy and electronic format. The contractor shall consider environmental impact as well as cost and quality when preparing deliverables. For example, paper deliverables shall be double-sided and printed on recycled content and/or non-wood fiber paper.*** Technical Evaluation Factors ** Resumes for Key Personnel Should Reflect:** Evaluation Factor #1: * Familiarity with the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) MasterFormat ** The key personnel for this project have at least 5 years of experience working with the CSI MasterFormat in some capacity. An example of relevant experience could involve writing construction specifications. ** This factor will be weighted at 40%**** Evaluation Factor #2: * Environmental Expertise with Respect to the Built Environment The key personnel for this project demonstrate extensive knowledge about environmental impacts of the built environment, especially as those impacts relate to products and services used in the construction and renovation of buildings. ** This factor will be weighted at 40%**** Evaluation Factor #3:* Experience Providing Environmental Information to Construction Project Managers, Architects, and Others who Select Product and Services to be used in Building Projects The key personnel for this project have at least 3 years of experience providing information on the environmental impacts of building products and services in formats that have proven helpful to construction project managers, design professionals, and others who work in the building sector. ** This factor will be weighted at 20%.**** Award will be on a firm fixed price basis to the offer representing the best value to the Government. Technical factors specified above are more important than price. It is anticipated that an award will be made during July 2002. The NAICS Code for this procurement is 541620 and this requirement is 100% Set-Aside for Small Business Concerns.***