Construction of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF)

Contracting Office Address: Department of Homeland Security, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), Biocontainment Procurement Branch, Procurement Division, TH378C, 1131 Chapel Crossing Road, Glynco, GA 31524 Description of project: Contractor will furnish all labor, material, supervision and equipment to construct the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF). As published in the Final Environmental Impact Statement, which was posted to the NBAF web site on December 8, 2008, the Manhattan, KS site, located on the campus at Kansas State University, has been selected as the preferred alternative. The Record of Decision (ROD), which was published on January 12, 2009, confirmed the selection of the Manhattan, KS site. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed to augment existing capabilities through the construction and operation of the NBAF. Operation of this biosafety level (BSL) 2, 3E, 3Ag, and 4 research facility would enable basic and advanced research, diagnostic testing and validation, countermeasure development (i.e., vaccines and anti-viral therapies) and diagnostic training for high-consequence livestock diseases with potentially devastating impacts to U.S. agriculture and public health. The proposed construction is as follows: - Construct two laboratory facilities. One of the two laboratory buildings would be the primary research building containing the BSL-2, BSL-3E, and BSL-3Ag and BSL-4 laboratories with associated support spaces. The other building would be a laboratory for small-scale vaccine and reagent production. It will be located adjacent to the primary research laboratory. - Construct four outbuildings which include a central utility plant, an entry guard house, a central receiving facility and parking. - The approximate area needed for the NBAF is between 500,000 and 520,000 square feet. The Government intends to utilize the Construction Manager as Constructor (CMc) concept for this procurement. Under this contract the CMc will function as a collaborative member of the project team and shall be an active participant in pre-construction by providing expertise during the design process, to include reviewing designs, preparing cost estimates, reconciling estimates with the A-E, controlling schedules, and performing constructability reviews. The CMc will be responsible for all construction under a single contract. The services requested of the CMc shall cover a wide range of design and construction activities which are often performed by both Construction Managers and general contractors. The CMc must maintain a team with the expertise and capability to manage and coordinate the timely and orderly development and construction of the proposed project. The CMC shall be required to assign, as needed, a team consisting of architectural, civil, structural, mechanical and electrical reviewers; cost estimators; CPM analysts; field engineers; field support staff; construction supervisors; construction superintendents; testing engineers/technicians; major subcontractors, and other disciplines. The CMc shall provide the Government with sound management advice regarding the approach to the project, how to achieve the best value in the work being accomplished, schedule control, alternative ideas, problem prevention, and budgeting. The CMc shall have a full understanding of the project, its contract documents, and the principles of Federal construction contracting and contract administration. Most importantly, the CMc shall have complete responsibility for construction of the facility. At a pre-determined point in the design phase, likely at about 70%, a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) will be negotiated and construction of the project will begin. The CMc will be contractually bound to pay for costs that exceed the GMP unless the Government changes the scope. The estimated construction cost is about $525 - $575 million, to include the CMc's Preconstruction and Construction Phase Services. This procurement will be negotiated on a best value basis in accordance with FAR 15.101, based primarily on a trade-off between relevancy and quality of present/past performance, qualifications/experience of proposed key personnel, proposed key subcontractors, proposed commissioning agent, and price, with all evaluation factors other than price, when combined, considered significantly more important than price. The best overall value to the Government includes demonstrating a commitment to construction excellence, providing and maintaining a viable team organization and adherence to the budgetary and time parameters for this project. Offerors will be evaluated on relevant corporate experience, past performance on contracts of similar scope and magnitude where the offeror acted as prime contractor or CMc, Key Personnel, to include experience and qualification of proposed staff, and price. The price proposal will include pricing of the CMc's cost of Pre-construction Services and a total fee for Construction Phase Services, including profit, General Conditions, and other overhead costs. Interested firms should, as early as possible, but no later than close of business on February 6, 2009, indicate interest in this acquisition by letter (no more than 2 typewritten pages), referencing the solicitation number, with a brief summary of experience in relevant contracts (scope and magnitude) where the offeror acted as a prime contractor or CMc, particularly in the construction of BioSafety Level 2, 3E, 3Ag, 4 laboratories, animal vivariums, necropsies, or similar facilities. The offeror should describe its performance of the pre-construction and construction phase services provided. The letter should clearly identify the business size, i.e., large business, small business, 8(a), HUBZone, VOSB, SDVOSB, WOSB, etc. Due to the estimated value of this project, the letter must also provide the offerors bonding capacity (single project, aggregate limit, and bonding currently available). Letters should be sent to the attention of Robert E. Driggers, Contracting Officer, at the contracting office address listed above, preferably as an e-mail attachment, with a copy to Ms. Paulette Webster. (E-mail addresses are provided below). More detailed present/past performance information will be required with proposals. In response to the solicitation, offerors will be required to demonstrate their ability to perform projects of a similar scope and magnitude, perform quality work, complete projects on schedule, and at a reasonable price. Award of the resulting contract will not necessarily be made to the lowest priced offeror. It is the intent of the Government to negotiate and award a contract to a well qualified firm with extensive experience in performing projects of similar scope and magnitude. The Government anticipates significant subcontracting activity under this contract. The solicitation will be available about mid-March 2009, with proposals due about early May, 2009. The Government intends to use the results of this Sources-Sought Notice to determine acquisition strategy for this procurement, utilizing NAICS Code 236220, Size Standard $33.5M. If you are interested in this solicitation, please provide the information required above, point of contact, company phone, fax number and e-mail address, to Robert E. Driggers, Contracting Officer, phone +1 (555) 000-0000, fax +1 (555) 000-0000, or email: contact@example.gov or Paulette Webster, Procurement Technician, phone +1 (555) 000-0000, email: contact@example.gov no later than close of business on February 6, 2009. THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS AND IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS.