C -- Geotechnical Architect/Engineering Services

Western Federal Lands Highway Division (WFLHD) of the Federal Highway Administration anticipates awarding up to TWO (2) Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity Contracts for Architect-Engineer (A/E) Services under this solicitation. The contract awards will be for GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING SERVICES RELATED TO THE DESIGN OF ROADS AND BRIDGES to be performed primarily in the states of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. Projects typically range from 2 to 10 miles in length. Project sites will generally be associated with Federal or locally-owned roads on or leading to Federal land. The scope of work to be performed will be detailed in individual Task Orders. The work will principally be for geotechnical engineering services needed in support of the engineering design and development of future road, bridge, and other construction improvements. The work may generally consist of the following types of services: Project site and site history reviews and geologic reconnaissance; Site characterization/field exploration, including geologic mapping, subsurface site investigation, preparation of boring logs, determination of soil and rock classifications, and the determination of groundwater information; Plan and develop exploration requirements including boring and sampling needs, equipment requirements, and manage field activities; Perform field and laboratory testing of soil and rock samples; Geotechnical engineering analysis in determining critical design elements and provide the basis for geotechnical design recommendations; Develop site specific design recommendations, including appropriate alternatives; Develop instrumentation needs and recommendations, oversee the installation and data gathering, and interpret the data to measure slope movement, rate of settlement, and pore pressure; Present findings and recommendations of investigations and studies in the form of a formal report, this report being the basis for design documentation and a resource for the WFLHD's construction personnel during project construction; develop and review contract plans and specifications for PS&E review; provide technical support during construction. This procurement is being solicited on an UNRESTRICTED BASIS to A/E firms licensed and registered within one or more of the aforementioned states served by WFLHD, OR to A/E firms having an office within one or more of the aforementioned states served by WFLHD. Each contractor or their sub-consultant is required to have a geotechnical engineering license for each state listed and be capable of performing in all states. The TOTAL AMOUNT of services ordered shall not exceed $2,000,000 during the life of the contract. Each award will be to a different A/E firm. Each selected A/E firm is guaranteed a minimum amount of $5,000 of work during the life of the contract. The term of each contract will be three (3) years with two (2) one-year option periods for a possible maximum of five (5) years. All work will be guided by individual task orders and statements of work plus WFLHD policies and directives. Selected firms must comply with Equal Employment Opportunity requirements in accordance with FAR 22.8. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 541330 (Engineering Services); the small business size standard is $4 million. Subcontracting plans will be required for large businesses in accordance with FAR 19.7. The subcontracting plan must show the firm's intended use of small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, and women-owned small business concerns. Subcontracting Plans are not required with the submission of SF-330. PREREQUISITES AND SELECTION CRITERIA: Only firms meeting the following prerequisites will be considered and further evaluated for possible selection: a) Five (5) years experience with geotechnical investigations for narrow roads that are in remote locations with difficult access, in hazardous conditions and on undeveloped surfaces; b) Three (3) years experience with investigation, analysis and design of critical geotechnical elements for roadways located on steep slopes in mountainous terrain; c) Three (3) years experience in rock slope engineering including stability evaluation, cut slope design, and rockfall mitigation; d) Three (3) years experience with material source evaluation and investigation; and e) Firms responding must address, and demonstrate with specific examples, how they meet the prerequisites in Section F of the SF 330.] The following criteria, in descending order of importance, will be used in the evaluation of prospective firms: (1) Specialized and recent experience and technical competence (either as a firm or through individual experience by proposed team members) in work in remote areas, including on publicly owned land, as demonstrated by relevant examples of previous work similar in nature and magnitude (30% weight): a. Geotechnical engineering in remote areas including publicly owned land. b. Experience in earthwork design, cut/fill slope stability, landslide studies, rock slope stability, material source studies, retaining wall systems, and small bridge foundation design, in remote areas including publicly owned land. c. Demonstrated ability for excellence on the basis of honors, awards, and recognition. (2) Professional qualifications necessary for satisfactory performance (25% weight): a. Each team member's professional background and experience in geotechnical engineering in remote areas, including publicly owned lands. b. Professional staff's educational background and valid geotechnical engineer registrations in the Western United States (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming). c. Professional staff's past experience in their technical field. (3) Past performance on contracts with government agencies and private industry in terms of cost control, quality of work, and compliance with performance schedules (25% weight): a. Conformance to program requirements and scope of services. b. Adherence to budgets. c. Delivery of submittals within schedules. d. Preparation of complete, clear, and comprehensive reports, assessments, and designs requiring minimum review changes. (4) Ability to accomplish the work in the time required under this IDIQ (in terms of expertise and numbers appropriate for the task order issued)(20% weight): a. Current staffing of the firm and its proposed sub-consultants. b. On-going workloads of the firm and its proposed sub-consultants and their capability of undertaking this contract and the priority it will likely receive in relation to other work. c. Where sub-consultants are proposed, identify the level of direct involvement in this project by the prime firm. d. The firm's proposed method of contract administration and project management, including management of drilling sub-consultants. e. Direct involvement in this contract of personnel who make up the ownership of the firm. f. Proposed method for controlling scope, schedule, quality control, and budget on specific projects. A/E firms meeting the requirements described in this announcement are invited to SUBMIT A COMPLETED SF-330. Firms responding should submit a single SF-330 and list their intended use of outside consultants or associates in Part I, Section C. The list of up to 10 projects included in Part I, Section F, of the SF-330 may be projects demonstrating the competence of the firm and any outside consultants or associates listed in Section C. Section F may not exceed 12 pages single-sided, and the minimum acceptable text size in Section F is 12 point. Additionally, Section H may not exceed 12 pages single-sided and the minimum acceptable text size in Section H is 12 point. The business size status should be indicated in Part II, block 5b of the SF-330. No other type of submittal is desired and will not be considered in the evaluation. This is NOT a request for proposal. A solicitation package is not available. SUBMIT SIX (6) COPIES (PAPER COPIES ONLY) OF YOUR RESPONSE BY 4:00PM LOCAL TIME AUGUST 22, 2005. Additional information about WFLHD Architect/Engineering Procurement may be found on our website at http://www.wfl.fhwa.dot.gov/edi/ae.htm. The following applies only to Minority, Women-Owned and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs): The Department of Transportation (DOT), offers working capital financing in the form of lines of credit to finance accounts receivable for transportation related contracts. Maximum line of credit is $750,000 with interest at prime rate, as published daily in the Wall Street Journal, plus 1.75 percent. For further information about the Bonding Assistance Program, call +1 (555) 000-0000. Internet address: http://osdbuweb.dot.gov.