C -- A&E SERVICES FOR SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION PRACTICES

This is a request for SF-330 for multiple Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ), multiple zones, A&E services contract, utilizing Firm-Fixed Price delivery task orders in accordance with FAR 16.500 for work throughout the State of Texas. The contract will include one base year and four option year periods. Work under this contract will be subject to satisfactory negotiation of individual task orders. The price of any single task order shall be at least $1,000 but shall not exceed $250,000. The total orders placed against this contract shall not exceed $2,500,000 per Zone over a five year period (one base year and four option year periods). The guaranteed minimum is $10,000 for the base year only. There shall be no guaranteed minimum for option years, if exercised. Task orders could include performance of any part or all operations necessary to provide solutions to natural resource problems by performing engineering planning, engineering surveys, engineering designs, and construction services for the installation of any of the soil and water conservation practices as listed in Section IV of the Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG) in the five Service Areas within the State of Texas. The five Service Areas are: Zone One (1) - Lubbock Service Area-Counties are: Armstrong, Bailey, Borden, Briscoe, Carson, Castro, Childress, Cochran, Collingsworth, Cottle, Crosby, Dallam, Dawson, Deaf Smith, Dickens, Donley, Fisher, Floyd, Foard, Gaines, Garza, Gray, Hale, Hall, Hansford, Hardeman, Hartley, Hemphill, Hockley, Hutchinson, Kent, King, Lamb, Lipscomb, Lubbock, Lynn, Moore, Motley, Ochiltree, Oldham, Parmer, Potter, Randall, Roberts, Scurry, Sherman, Stonewall, Swisher, Terry, Wheeler, Yoakum. Zone Two (2) - San Angelo Service Area-Counties are: Andrews, Bandera, Blanco, Brewster, Coke, Concho, Crane, Crockett, Culberson, Ector, Edwards, El Paso, Gillespie, Glasscock, Howard, Hudspeth, Irion, Jeff Davis, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, Llano, Loving, Martin, Mason, Maverick, McCulloch, Medina, Menard, Midland, Mitchell, Nolan, Pecos, Presidio, Reagan, Real, Reeves, Runnels, San Saba, Schleicher, Sterling, Sutton, Taylor, Terrell, Tom Green, Upton, Uvalde, Val Verde, Ward, Winkler. Zone Three (3) - Corpus Christi Service Area-Counties are: Aransas, Atascosa, Austin, Bastrop, Bee, Bexar, Brazoria, Brooks, Burleson, Caldwell, Calhoun, Cameron, Colorado, Comal, DeWitt, Dimmit, Duval, Fayette, Fort Bend, Frio, Galveston, Goliad, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Hays, Hidalgo, Jackson, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kenedy, Kleberg, La Salle, Lavaca, Lee, Live Oak, Matagorda, McMullen, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, Starr, Travis, Victoria, Washington, Webb, Wharton, Willacy, Wilson, Zapata, Zavala. Zone Four (4) - Bryan Service Area-Counties are: Anderson, Angelina, Bowie, Brazos, Camp, Cass, Chambers, Cherokee, Delta, Franklin, Freestone, Gregg, Grimes, Hardin, Harris, Harrison, Henderson, Hopkins, Houston, Jasper, Jefferson, Lamar, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Marion, Montgomery, Morris, Nacogdoches, Newton, Orange, Panola, Polk, Rains, Red River, Robertson, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Smith, Titus, Trinity, Tyler, Upshur, Van Zandt, Walker, Waller, Wood, Zone Five (5) - Weatherford Service Area-Counties are: Archer, Baylor, Bell, Bosque, Brown, Burnet, Callahan, Clay, Coleman, Collin, Comanche, Cooke, Coryell, Dallas, Denton, Eastland, Ellis, Erath, Falls, Fannin, Grayson, Hamilton, Haskell, Hill, Hood, Hunt, Jack, Johnson, Jones, Kaufman, Knox, Lampasas, Limestone, McLennan, Milam, Mills, Montague, Navarro, Palo Pinto, Parker, Rockwall, Shackelford, Somervell, Stephens, Tarrant, Throckmorton, Wichita, Wilbarger, Williamson, Wise, Young. This procurement will be evaluated using Brooks Act procedures. This procurement is unrestricted and is therefore open to all businesses regardless of size. The primary North American Industrial Classification System Code (NAICS) is 541330, which has a size standard of $4.0 million in annual average receipts. Firms will be selected for negotiation based on selection criteria for the required work. Contracts may be negotiated and awarded up to one year after completion of the selection process. The government contemplates the award of two to fifteen possible multiple Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) /multiple Zone, A&E services contracts utilizing Firm-Fixed Price delivery /task orders type contracts. The period of performance for the basic period will run from contract award through September 30, 2005. The government may, at its option, extend the contract to a maximum of five years by exercising each of the four one year renewal options. Work under each of the contracts will be subject to satisfactory negotiation of individual task orders. Task orders will be negotiated as firm-fixed price procurements for individual or clusters of soil and water conservation practices. The A&E services could include performance of any part or all operations necessary to provide solutions to natural resource problems by performing services as required for the preparation of plans, specifications, cost estimates, and related studies for the engineering planning, engineering surveys, engineering design, and construction inspection services for the installation of soil and water conservation practices at various locations in the State of Texas. Engineering planning activities required may consist of but are not limited to any part of the preparation of engineering planning documents for scheduling the installation of selected alternatives with associated cost estimates and quantity estimates for the installation of soil and water conservation practices. Provide resource information and technical requirements. Develop alternatives to protect resources and meet other objectives of the landowner. Inform the landowner of potential operation and maintenance requirements. Conducts site investigation and preliminary surveys as needed. Inform landowner of potential EPA-NPDES construction requirements, and needed permits. Prepare damage survey reports (DSR) for emergency recovery work. Engineering surveys required may consist of but are not limited to any part or all of the following activities: topographic / planimetric surveys, magnetometer surveys, hydrographic/ bathymetric surveys, horizontal and vertical control surveys, survey quality GPS surveys, design surveys, development of graphical representations of survey data collected, construction layout and certification surveys, and surveys for quantity computations. Engineering design activities required may consist of but are not limited to any part or all of the following activities: preliminary field investigations, geologic and soils investigations, design of soil and water conservation practices, designing of emergency recovery work, repair and replacement of existing systems, prepare construction specifications, prepare engineering and construction plans (drawings), prepare landrights work maps, prepare quantity and cost estimates, prepare bid schedules, quantity computation checks and certifications, prepare breach analysis, prepare water surface profiles, prepare hydrologic and hydraulic designs of soil and waters conservation structures, and prepare design documentation folders. The typical project will require knowledge and experience in all aspects of engineering planning, engineering surveys, engineering design, and construction services associated with the design and construction of deep and shallow foundations (bearing capacity, consolidation, seepage, etc.), earth embankments, grassed waterways, terrace systems, precision land grading, ponds, livestock pipelines, livestock watering and storage facilities, structures for water control, wells, critical area shaping and planting, irrigation pipelines, irrigation systems (surface, sprinkler, and micro), irrigation land leveling and other associated practices, waste management systems including waste storage facilities, waste treatment structures and associated practices, grade stabilization structures, wetland restoration or creation, roller compacted concrete structures, diversions, earthwork, reinforced concrete structures, automated and manual water control gates, rock riprap placement, timber structures, steel structures and structural fabrication, timber, steel and concrete piling, sheet piling and channel bank stabilization measures, and preparing documents for submittal of applicable permits. Construction Services required may consist of but are not limited to any part of construction layout, construction inspection, construction quality control (inspection), construction checkout and certification of completed soil and waters conservation practices including emergency recovery work. Construction services do not include actual construction of the soil and water conservation practices. The firm will be required to perform engineering planning, engineering surveys, engineering designs, and construction services, as indicated above, for the installation of soil and water conservation practices in accordance with NRCS standards as listed in Section IV of the Field Office Technical Guide and certify that all engineering planning documents, engineering surveys, engineering designs, and construction services meet NRCS standards, specifications, policy, handbooks, and documentation requirements. The firm will be required to interpret geotechnical reports and accurately apply the data to the design of the soil and water conservation practice measures were available. The design work will be civil, agricultural, or environmental. The A&E services may involve direct consultation, inspection of construction for a specific project, including reviews of shop drawings, material selections, and quality control testing such as those associated with concrete placement and earthfill compaction. A&E services are required to provide solutions to natural resource problems by providing engineering planning, engineering surveys, engineering design, and construction inspection services for the installation of any soil and water conservation practices as listed in Section IV of the Field Office Technical Guide. Applicable references include Section IV of the Field Office Technical Guide, National Engineering Handbook Series, the Engineering Field Handbook, Irrigation Guide, Agricultural Waste Management Field Handbook, National Engineering Manual and Texas supplements to the referenced documents. More information may be found at the following website: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical. The Field Office Tech Guide can be located at: thttp://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/efotg/. All drawings will be computer generated in *.dwg format. All reports shall be *doc, *pdf, or *xls formats. Electronic copies and original hard copies are to be furnished to NRCS. These contracts could include design for repair and replacement of existing systems and review of services provided by other A&E firms. Responses should include proposed sub-consultants for all disciplines for engineering planning, surveying, civil, hydrology, hydraulics, agricultural, environmental, geotechnical and soil mechanics engineering, and biological knowledge of wetland science. Responses should also include the qualifications of personnel and descriptions of facilities, materials, equipment, and services to perform the type of tasks described by this notice. The estimated construction cost of the proposed individual construction projects for the installation of soil and water conservation practices will typically be between $2,000 and $500,000. 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 as key personnel for this contract. The project manager must be a Registered Professional Engineer in the state of Texas with a minimum of ten years experience in engineering planning, engineering surveys, engineering designs, and construction services for soil and water conservation practices as listed in the Section IV of the Field Office Technical Guide or equivalent standards and specifications, and must have direct experience with the design and implementation of soil and water conservation practices or equivalent experience. (2) Have a minimum of one surveyor or one civil engineering technician (CET) as key personnel for this contract with a minimum of ten years experience in engineering surveys and construction services for soil and water conservation practices or equivalent experience. (3) Have a minimum of one draftsperson as key personnel for this contract, with a minimum of five years CAD experience. SELECTION CRITERIA: Firms meeting the preselection criteria will be evaluated and ranked using the following selection criteria: (1) 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. (2) 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 planning, engineering surveys, engineering designs, and construction services 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 all phases of engineering planning, engineering surveys, engineering design, and construction services for application of soil and water conservation practices in Texas or equivalent practices. Evaluation will include experience using SITES, HEC-RAS, TR66, TR20, WINTR55, EFH2 computer models, following design criteria and guidelines as outlined in the Section IV of the Field Office Technical Guide or equivalent standards and specifications, hydrologic and hydraulic design of simple and complex soil and water conservation practices, designing complex foundation and drainage features, designing emergency recovery work, and previous experience in the engineering planning, engineering survey, engineering design, construction services of NRCS soil and water conservation practices. Evaluation will include experience and technical competence in the areas of soil mechanics, hydrology, hydraulics, surveying, structural design, CADD, livestock watering and storage facilities, livestock pipelines, ponds, grade stabilization structures, structures for water control, wells, critical area shaping and planting, wetland science, other erosion control practices, animal waste storage facility design and installation, irrigation systems (surface, sprinkler, and micro) and associated practices, diversions, terrace systems, waste storage structures and associated practices, previous experience with NRCS standards and specifications as outlined in Section IV of the Field Office Technical Guide or equivalent standards and specifications, and previous experience in construction services including construction layout, construction inspection, construction checkout and certification of completion of equivalent conservation practices. 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. Examples of work shall be documented for review, as well as a description of the type work performed on SF-330. These work descriptions will be evaluated based on documented complexity of work performed. (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, the schedules for completion of the existing work, and the capacity to provide personnel for multiple Zone contracts. (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 name and telephone numbers must be provided. (5) Location in the general geographic area and knowledge of the locality and the natural resource concerns. Evaluation will be based upon the firm's proximity to the indicated Service Area(s) and the knowledge of specific natural resource concerns or conditions that affect conservation practice design in the indicated Service Area. Firm must clearly indicate the office location where the work will be performed and the qualifications of the individuals proposed to work on this contract. Firms must indicate Service Area(s) (Zones) for which they would like to be considered in Section H of the SF 330. The above evaluation factors listed in their order of importance, are (2) 30% being most important, factors (1) 20%, (3) 20%, (4) 20% being equally important, and (5) 10%. SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS: Firms, which meet the requirements described in this announcement, are invited to submit 5 copies of a Standard Form 330, Architect-Engineer Qualifications. Interested firms must submit their SF-330 not later than JUNE 22, 2004, 4:30 p.m. CST, to the attention of the Contracting Officer. Clearly indicate the office location where the work will be performed and the qualifications of the individuals and subcontractors proposed to work on the contract and their geographical location. Include an organizational chart, and qualifications of key personnel. Firms must indicate the Service Area(s) for which they would like to be considered. Firms responding to this announcement before the closing date will be considered for selection, subject to any limitations indicated with respect to size and geographic location of the firm, specialized technical expertise, or other requirements listed. Only those firms responding by the time listed above will be considered for selection. After an initial evaluation, which takes approximately 45 days, the most highly rated firms will be selected. Selected firms will then be sent a solicitation to provide their proposals. Firms must provide a customer reference list with addresses and telephone numbers for all projects listed as related experience and a project workload schedule showing proposed personnel members for the project period. Interviews for the purpose of discussing prospective firm's qualifications will be conducted either in person or by teleconference. All firms must be registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) to be considered for an award of a federal Contract. For information regarding registration, contact the CCR Web Site at www.ccr.gov. This is not a Request for Proposal. Any questions should be addressed to the Contracting Officer.