Architect and engineering services

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is soliciting Standard Form 330s (Architect-Engineer Qualifications) for Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Engineering services contract for work within the state of Kansas. Multiple awards may be made. The contract will include one base year and four options-year periods. Work under this contract to be subject to satisfactory negotiation of individual task orders. The price of any single task order shall be at least $5,000 but shall not exceed $500,000. The maximum order amount for each contract period (base year and each option year) shall be $1,000,000. The guaranteed minimum task order shall be $5,000 for the basic period only. There shall be no guaranteed minimum for the option periods, if exercised. Task orders could include performance of any part or all operations necessary to perform engineering surveys, engineering designs, and construction activities for various conservation practices and water resources projects. These practices and projects include but are not limited to animal manure and wastewater handling and storage practices, grade stabilization structures, livestock ponds, streambank protection, and watershed dams. Surveys required may consist of but are not limited to any part or all of the following activities: topographic surveys, design surveys, geotechnical surveys, sediment surveys, and construction layout surveys. Design activities required may consist of but are not limited to any part or all of the following activities: design agricultural waste management systems, design water resources project features, prepare construction specifications, prepare construction plans (drawings), prepare cost estimates, quantity computation checks and certifications, and prepare design folders. Construction activities will include practice and project stakeout, construction inspection, checkout, and certification. The typical animal waste project could require knowledge and experience in all aspects of animal manure and wastewater volume estimations, rainfall runoff calculations, surveying, engineering design and quality assurance activities associated with the design and construction of waste storage ponds, earth embankments, reinforced concrete structures, clay and flexible liners, wastewater conveyance pipelines, diversions, and settling basins. The typical water resources project could require knowledge and experience in all aspects of surveys and design activities associated with the design and construction of foundations, earth embankments, earthwork, reinforced concrete structures, water control gates, rock riprap placement, timber structures, steel structures and structural fabrication, and channel bank stabilization measures. The firm will be required to perform engineering surveys and engineering design activities in accordance with NRCS standards and certify that all surveys and designs meet NRCS standards. NRCS standards can be found in the NRCS Field Office Technical Guide and design guidance can be found in the NRCS National Engineering Handbooks. All drawings will be computer generated in the AutoCAD dwg format. Electronic copies and original hard copies are to be furnished to NRCS. PRESELECTION CRITERIA: Firms must meet the following criteria in order to be considered for an award under this requirement. (1) Have a minimum of two engineers employed on a full time basis. At least one engineer must be a Registered Professional Engineer in the state of Kansas and have a minimum of ten years experience in engineering surveys and engineering designs of animal manure and wastewater handling and storage and water resources projects. (2) Associated with or have a minimum of one surveyor with a minimum of ten years experience in engineering surveys. (3) Associated with or have a minimum of two draftspersons employed on a full time basis, one with a minimum of five years Computer Aided Drafting experience and the other with a minimum of one year experience. (4) Associated with or have a minimum of one geotechnical professional with a minimum of ten years experience. SELECTION CRITERIA: Firms meeting the pre-selection criteria will be evaluated and ranked using the following selection criteria: (1) Specialized experience and technical competence in the type of work required. Evaluation will be based on the extent of directly related experience in performing engineering surveys and engineering designs of the types of projects described; specialized education at the university level, and all other applicable education, training, and certifications. Consideration will be given to those firms with knowledge of and direct experience in the application of the described requirements in animal manure and wastewater handling and storage and water resources projects in Kansas. Examples of work shall be documented for review, as well as a description of the type work performed. These work descriptions will be evaluated based on documented complexity of work performed. (2) Professional qualifications necessary for satisfactory performance. Evaluation will be based upon the number of qualified personnel and their knowledge and level of experience associated with the requirements above, and their availability to perform work on this contract. (3) Capacity to accomplish the work. Evaluation will be based upon the number of personnel available in the disciplines described above, the quantity of existing work under contract, and the schedules for completion of the existing work. (4) Past performance on contracts with government agencies and private industry. Evaluation will be based upon the firm's past experience with other government agencies and the private sector in performing the requirements described; the quality and timeliness of performance under previous contracts. References with telephone numbers must be provided. (5) Location in the general geographic area. Evaluation will be based upon the firm's proximity to the State of Kansas. The above evaluation factors listed in their order of importance are factor 1 being most important and factors 2 - 5 being equally important. Firms, which meet the requirements described in this announcement, are invited to submit four (4) copies each of a Standard Form 330 (Architect-Engineer Qualifications), and any other information relative to the selection criteria to the contracting office address listed above to the attention of the Contracting Officer by 4:30 p.m., local time September 18, 2008. Only those firms responding by that time will be considered for selection. This is not a Request for Proposal.