C--Replace Domestics Water Main Isolation Valves - Design 528A7-10-715

VA intends to award an Architect/Engineer contract for complete design services (investigative services, preparation of contract drawings and specifications, cost estimating services, and construction period services) for Replace domestic water main isolation valves Project 528A7-10-715. The project is to develop a design to replace all the frozen, inoperable, and inaccessible plumbing shut-off valves throughout the Syracuse VA Medical Center. This will require the replacement of approximately 100 valves ranging in sizes from 1 to 6 in diameter. This design will identify, replace or relocate if necessary all domestic water valves that are currently inaccessible and inoperable along with installing numerous valves as required that will give us the ability to isolate risers, wings, zones, and floors. Some inaccessible valves replacement will require but are not limited to the relocation and replacement of plumbing lines, duct work, electrical conduit, and masonry block and gypsum walls. Many of the valves were installed over twenty and even fifty years ago and do not operate or operate at best only marginally and unreliably. This project once complete will greatly enhance the Medical Centers ability to contain and work on our existing domestic water system in specific areas of the hospital without having to shut off large areas of the hospital that should have never been affected by the necessary plumbing work. Of great consideration and one of the largest obstacles the designer must overcome in the replacement of the valves is how this work can be done with minimal impact to the overall operation of the medical center, especially at a time when multiple projects in many different areas of the Hospital will be in construction at the same time. A. Investigative services shall include, but not be limited to, the following: 1. Review VA program requirements and project scope to determine the equipment and construction criteria and provide preliminary plans, drawings, and estimates. 2. Prepare measured drawings for area of work. 3. Perform mechanical, electrical, structural, civil, architectural and asbestos abatement investigation of the existing facility as necessary including full on site investigation to verify existing conditions as it pertains to this project. 4. Provide for approval a detailed plan of the proposed concept for replacement of the valves with minimal impact to the medical center. B. Design services shall include, but not be limited to, providing complete working drawings, specifications, and detailed cost estimates. Numerous and extensive meetings with various VA employees, in order to fully understand the functional needs, carefully review the space selected for this project, then prepare construction cost estimates, designs and construction contract documents as described herein. Design services for asbestos abatement, if found to be required at any time during the project shall be included. Asbestos Monitoring services during construction if required will be required of the A/E. Additional fees for asbestos design and monitoring will be added to this contract by amendment, if required. Design services shall include infection control design in order to be in compliance with the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) Environment of Care Standards. Short-List Criteria to select the firms for interview will be based on H09 Hospital and Medical Facilities AND P07 Plumbing and Piping Design specialized experience, technical competence, specific experience and qualifications of proposed personnel and consultants along with record of working together as a team, past performance for VA work, geographic location of the firm, success in prescribing the use of recovered materials, waste reduction and energy efficiency, and the inclusion of small business consultants. Special consideration in the evaluation and selection process will be given to Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses and Veteran-Owned Small Businesses. Final ranking of interviewed firms will be based on the team proposed for this project, previous VA experience of the team, and specific sprinkler system design experience. The area of consideration is restricted to firms with offices and key personnel to be assigned to the designs located within a 50 mile radius of the Syracuse VA Medical Center as indicated by a mapquest.com driving directions search from prime designer to 800 Irving Ave, Syracuse NY 13210. Appropriate data for this project must be submitted to the Contracting Officer on Standard Form 330 no later than January 7, 2010 by 2:00PM. THREE COPIES OF EACH (along with any supplemental information) ARE REQUIRED. Submissions should emphasize experience on similar projects, the key personnel to be assigned to this project, and specific VA experience. It is anticipated interviews for selection will be conducted the Third week of January and that a cost proposal from the A/E firm ranked as the most highly qualified will be required to be submitted no later than February 1, 2010. This is not a request for proposals. NAICS 541330 applies. Construction cost estimate is between $500,000 and $1,000,000.