C -- AGILE CHEMICAL FACILITY, NAVAL SURFACE WARFARE CENTER, INDIAN HEAD, MD

The work includes Architectural and Engineering Services necessary for the preparation of plans, specifications, and construction cost estimates ready for bidding for construction of the Agile Chemical Facility at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head, Maryland. This project will provide the Navy with a continuous nitration plant that is capable of manufacturing a variety of nitrate esters at variable throughputs between 1000 - 100 kg/hr. This project consolidates the capabilities of two nitration plants into one plant by replacing the existing antiquated nitration facilities and modernizing others to provide flexible, variable quantity production of nitrate esters used in the manufacture of propellants and explosives. Elements of this project include a new nitration plant, with a transport system, additional equipment to provide for recycling the spent acid and a wastewater treatment capability. This Agile Chemical Facility shall be constructed to manufacture nitrate esters. Construction shall include a new control building for remote process operation, tanks, and containment structures. The project shall also include construction of storage and delivery facilities for chemicals and raw materials; product manufacturing, handling, and transfer facilities; a consolidated carbon absorption waste treatment facility; and a spent acid treatment facility. A central control system with an uninterruptible power source for remote monitoring and control of major ACF components shall be an included feature. Other supporting equipment and facilities include stairways, platforms, and electrically conductive floors, and other supporting equipment and facilities, such as, holding house addition, Product holding house upgrades, electrical and mechanical utilities, environmental mitigation, paving and site improvements. A different Government contractor will develop the process design and manufacture the resulting equipment. The selected A/E firm under this solicitation will be required to coordinate their design closely with the above Government contractor. The selected A/E firm shall prepare an - OMSI package by assembling Information Systems and Operation & Maintenance Systems Information, which will accompany all primary system components. Familiarity with Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection (AT/FP) requirements is required. The project shall comply with DOD Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection Construction Standards. Familiarity with Sustainable Design through an integrated design approach is required. The preliminary budget for sustainable designs for this project will promote sustainable sites and water efficiency, conserve energy, protect indoor environmental quality, and properly manage all materials, resources, and wastes. Familiarity with the Success Cost Estimating System is required. This project will include the demolition of 17 manufacturing buildings at one location and 7 substandard buildings at the other. The amount of demolition is 200 percent greater than the project scope. Site development will include stormwater management, landscaping, and paving. Interior design services are required - familiarity with mandatory sources of procurement, i.e., Federal prison Industries (FPI), GSA schedules, etc. is required. Familiarity with the metric system of measurement is required. The possibility of hazardous materials, i.e., asbestos, lead paint, PCB, may exist at the project site. If hazardous materials are encountered, the A/E Contractor will be required to conduct hazardous material removal surveys, including testing and sampling, provide design removal procedures and prepare construction contract documents in accordance with applicable rules and regulations pertaining to such hazardous materials. All hazardous materials licenses and/or accreditations necessary for the locality of the project site are required by the A/E firm or their subcontractors. Services, such as technical reports and studies, site investigations, contract documents (drawings, specifications and construction cost estimates), surveys, shop drawings reviews, construction consultation and inspection, and construction record drawings may be required at any time up to final acceptance of all work. The selected A/E firm for this contract will be required to participate in an orientation and site visit meeting (when requested) within seven days of notification and provide a fee proposal within ten days after receiving the Request for Proposal. This will be a firm fixed price A/E contract. The duration of the contract will include the design and construction support periods of the project (approximately 5 years). The estimated start date is July 2003. The estimated cost of construction is approximately $12 million. Architectural and Engineering services for this contract shall be subject to the availability of funds. Selection evaluation criteria, in relative order of importance are: 1.a. Specialized experience and professional qualifications of the firm (including subcontractors), and the proposed project team (the team/office actually accomplishing the work) in providing complete design and engineering services for the contract requirements as described herein; b. It is critical that the A-E firm be knowledgeable and have recent experience with the design and construction of chemical process plants, specifically plants that use large quantities of concentrated acids. In addition, the firm must be familiar with design standards of the Navy's safety requirements as stated in Naval Sea systems Command (NAVSEA) Ordnance Publication (OP5), - Ammunition and Explosive Ashore: Safety Regulations for Handling, Storage, Production, Renovation and Shipping. The firm must also have experience in the following areas: Relevant recent experience in the design of nitration processes and/or acid recovery plants with references that can be contacted; Experience in designing ordnance processing facilities to government requirements; and Experience in mitigating electrical hazards in hazardous locations; c. Knowledge and demonstrated experience in applying sustainability concepts and principles to facilities and infrastructure through an integrated design approach; d. Knowledge and demonstrated experience in applying Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection (AT/FP) techniques; 2.a. Demonstrated capabilities in sustained accomplishment of work within established time limits; b. Status of the firm's and project team's present workload; 3. Past performance and process of the prime A/E firm (and their subcontractors) in their quality control/quality assurance (QC/QA) program to assure coordinated technically accurate plans, specifications, and construction cost estimates; 4. Preference will be given to firms with the demonstrated capability of using CAD, SPECSINTACT, and the Success Cost Estimating System. Each firm's past performance(s) and performance ratings will be reviewed during the evaluation process and can affect the selection outcome. Firms that meet the requirements listed in this announcement, are invited to submit one copy each of the completed Standard Forms (SF) 254 and SF 255, U.S. Government Architect-Engineer Qualifications, to the office indicated below. Site visits will not be arranged during the advertisement period. This proposed contract is being solicited on an unrestricted basis. Interested firms are requested to include telefax numbers, DUNS number, and Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) on the SF 255 and SF 254 in Blocks 3 and 1, respectively. Interested firms are also requested to include their A/E Contractor Appraisal Support System (ACASS) number on the SF 255 in Block 3. In Block 10, state why your firm is specially qualified based on the selection evaluation criteria. Also, use Block 10 to provide additional information desired by your firm. Only the SF 254 and SF 255 will be reviewed. Experiences identified in Block 8 should not be more than 5 years old. The A/E firm's primary person proposed to be the direct contact with EFA CHES throughout the contract work must be identified as the "Project Manager". Information in the cover letter and any other attachments will not be included in the official selection process. Submit the SF 254 and 255 to the mailroom in the EFA CHES building, Building 212, by 3:30 p.m. on the established due date. Hand delivery or overnight delivery is highly recommended. Fax and electronic copies of the SF 254 and 255 will not be accepted. This is not a request for proposal. Because this contract could eventually result in an award over $500,000.00, a subcontracting plan will be required by large business concerns. The small disadvantaged business set-aside goal in that subcontracting plan shall not be less than 5% of the subcontracted work. This set-aside goal of not less than 5% also applies to women-owned small business concerns. This does not apply if the prime firm is a small business concern. Effective 1 October 1997, A/E contractors are now required to register their firms in the Central Contractor Registration database prior to receiving a contract award. This data base provides basic business information, capabilities, and financial information to the Government and complies with the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, which requires Federal agencies to have the Taxpayer Identification Number of every contractor and to pay every contractor through electronic funds transfer. A/E contractors will only have to provide this information once with annual updates or as key company information changes occur. Registration can be accomplished through the World Wide Web at http//www.acq.mil/ec; through any DOD Certified Value Added Network; or a paper may be obtained by calling the DOD Electronic Commerce Information Center at +1 (555) 000-0000. Contracting Officer, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Engineering Field Activity Chesapeake (Attn: Randolph Jones, Code CH23), Washington Navy Yard, Building 212, 1314 Harwood Street SE, Washington, DC 20374-5018.