C--Architect-Engineering (A-E) Services for Nationwide Cost Engineering Support for the Walla Walla District Directory/Center of Expertise (DX)

CONTRACT INFORMATION: This announcement is issued on an Unrestricted Basis and is open to all businesses regardless of size. The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Walla Walla District plans to award two Nationwide (Continental USA (CONUS) and Pacific Ocean Division (POD) USACE) Indefinite Quantity Contracts (IDC) for a five-year period consisting of a base period of one year and four one year option periods. The maximum amount the Government may order under the two IDC's shall not exceed $150M and $50M respectfully. These contracts are being procured in accordance with the Brooks A-E Act as implemented in FAR Subpart 36.6. Firms will be selected for negotiations based on demonstrated competence and qualifications for the required work as further described in this announcement. The services will consist of Cost Engineering to support Walla Walla District designation as a Cost Engineering Directory/Center of Expertise (DX). The requirements under the IDC's will be issued primarily under firm-fixed price task orders utilizing the labor and overhead rates accepted with award of the IDC. The estimated base and option year contract capacities are $150M and $50M respectively. Contract capacity will be awarded in full at the award of the base contract. Unused capacity will be rolled forward at the time the next years rates are exercised and become effective. The annual contract rates are fixed prices for the annual period for which they are negotiated. The contract minimum guarantee of $10,000 will may be obligated via issuance of an initial task order concurrent with award of the IDC. The IDC is anticipated to be awarded in August 2011. All "other than small business" concerns shall be required to include a subcontracting plan with their rate proposal. The subcontracting plan must comply with the provisions of the Small Business Act (Public Law 99-661, section 1207 and 100-180, section 806), FAR Subpart 219-9, and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 252.219-7003 and Army Federal Acquisition Regulation (AFARS) 5119.705-4 and must demonstrate a plan to place subcontracts to the maximum extent practicable, consistent with the efficient performance of the IDC in accordance with USACE FY11 planned subcontracting goals to small businesses as follows: Small Business (SB) - 50.0%; Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) - 17.0%; Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) - 18.0%; HUBZone Small Business (HZSB) - 10.0%; Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) - 8.5% and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) - 4.0%. The accepted subcontracting plan is anticipated to meet or exceed the FY11 USACE targets for small business subcontracting goals for the total amount the AE plans to subcontract. The Contracting Officer will negotiate a subcontracting plan with the selected A-E contractor with the objective of meeting or exceeding the above goals The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this action is 541330 which has a size standard of $4,500,000.00 in average annual receipts. To be eligible for contract award, a firm must be registered in the DoD Central Contractor Registration (CCR). Register via the CCR Internet site at http://www.ccr.gov. PROJECT INFORMATION: The proposed contracts will be used to primarily support the USACE mission in performing cost engineering services for the US Department of Energy, Office on Environmental Management (DOE EM), but may also be used to support other federal agencies such as the National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the General Services Administration (GSA), the Bureau of Reclamation, the US Forest Service, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Defense and other USACE Districts. Typical projects will include cost engineering services for environmental restoration, waste management, decontamination and decommission design, regulator support, confirmatory sampling, liquid waste site remediation, waste site remediation, burial ground remediation, deactivation, demolition, site security, waste operations, surveillance and maintenance, project management and management controls, miscellaneous restoration, stewardship preparation, independent closure reviews, operate and close utilities confirmatory sampling sites, and contingency review and escalation. The proposed IDC will support USACE mission in performing cost environmental cleanup, demolition and/or restoration. The selected A-E firm must be capable of performing cost estimates for multiple customers with a wide variety of sites across the nation in a manner that complies with Federal, State and Local regulations and laws within timeframes required to meet program objectives. The selected A-E firm must have resources with security clearances such as Q, L, Top Secret or Secret. In addition to having clearance levels, the A-E firm must have sufficient resources (averages between 20 to 70 cost personnel) to work at multiple sites for long durations (often up to or exceeding 30 days). The magnitude of the task orders may range from $3,000 to $4.5M. Task orders under the IDC may be awarded and administered by Walla Walla District or any other USACE District that coordinates and obtains authorization from Walla Walla District for contract capacity/usage. The A-E firm shall use USACE estimating software MCACES (M-II), USACE and DOE work breakdown structure, activity based estimating techniques, baseline cost estimating, risk analysis, critical analysis and scheduling techniques, and other related skills. The firm's cost engineering specialist(s) must be certified by a professional organization, such as AACE, ICEC, PCEA, etc. The firm's cost estimators must spend the majority of their time performing cost engineering functions, and must be specifically identified, and their competence indicated by resume, in Section E of the SF 330. Individual resumes are limited to one page each. In addition, the firm selected must demonstrate experience in using USACE estimating software MCACES (M-II), USACE and DOE work breakdown structure, activity based estimating techniques, baseline cost estimating, risk analysis, critical analysis and scheduling techniques, and other related skills. In accordance with FAR Subpart 36.209, no contract for any follow-on construction work shall be awarded to the firm that designed the project or its subsidiaries or affiliates. SELECTION CRITERIA: A-E selections will be conducted in strict accordance with the announced selection criteria, and in compliance with FAR Subpart 36.6, its supplements and Engineer Pamphlet 715-1-7. Evaluation of contractor proposals will be based on contractor's specialized experience and technical competence in areas of experience such as cost engineering, cost estimating, program and project management, planning and scheduling, risk analysis, cost/schedule performance measurement, security clearances, change control, and value engineering. Review professional capabilities for satisfactory performance of work required under this contract or work performed by individual task order requirements. Review of demonstrated capability and capacity in order for the firm to perform the statement of work as primarily required by DOE and other USACE customers such as NNSA, EPA, GSA, other USACE Districts, and other federal agencies as described in this A-E announcement. Each firm will be evaluated with respect to past cost control, quality of work, and compliance with performance schedules. The selection criteria are listed below in descending order of importance (first by major criterion and then by each sub-criterion). Criteria A thru D are primary. Criteria E is secondary and will only be used as tie-breaker among technically equal firms. A. Professional Qualifications: The selected firm must have, either in-house or through consultants, the following Cost Engineering disciplines, with registration required where applicable (1) Architect; (2) Structural; (3) Civil (4) Mechanical; (5) Electrical; (6) Environmental; (7) Value Engineering; (8) Scheduler; and (9) Risk. The firm's cost engineering specialist(s) must be certified by a professional organization, such as AACE, ICEC, PCEA, etc; B. Specialized Experience and Technical Competence in: (1) Preparing cost estimates utilizing the following estimating software: MCACES (M-II) and PACES. The firm selected must demonstrate experience utilizing this software; (2) Preparing cost estimates for environmental restoration, waste management, decontamination and decommissioning design, regulatory support, confirmatory sampling, liquid waste site remediation, waste site remediation, burial ground remediation, deactivation, demolition, site security, waste operations, surveillance and maintenance, project management and management controls, miscellaneous restoration, stewardship preparation, independent closure reviews, operate and close utilities confirmatory sampling sites, and contingency review and escalation for projects primarily at Department of Energy (DOE) work sites; (3) Preparing cost estimates for Civil Works and Military projects; (4) Preparing programming/ conceptual, parametric, final design, and change order estimates; (5) Preparing cost and schedule risk analysis; (6) Scheduling with specialized experience and technical competence in preparing construction schedules for both horizontal and vertical construction projects that result in a construction duration that can be used in bidding a project. Schedule shall include a breakdown of all construction activities with related durations in a neat, orderly fashion. Said schedule may be included in the construction solicitation, therefore it must be accurate and defendable; (7) The ability to provide quick turnaround of task orders i.e. ability to prepare proposals in 5 to 10 days; (8) Preparation of Value Engineering Studies; (9) Describe the firm's quality management plan, quality assurance, and coordination of the in-house work with consultants; C. Capacity to Accomplish the Work: The capacity to accomplish at least $3.0M per month for the $150M award and $1.0M per month for the $50M award to be comprised of five or more individual task orders simultaneously with task orders ranging from $3K to $4.5M; D. Past Performance: Past performance on Department of Defense (DOD) and other contracts with respect to cost control, quality of work, and compliance with performance schedules; E. Subcontracting: Extent of participation of small businesses (SB), small disadvantaged businesses (SDB), women-owned small businesses (WOSB), HUBZone small businesses (HZSB), veteran owned small business (VOSB), and service disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSB) in the proposed contract team, measured as a percentage of the total estimated effort will be evaluated and considered in the award decision.