Design Review of Watershed Rehabilitation Projects

USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) is announcing two projects under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). NRCS is seeking proposals for A&E Services under Contract Number AG-3A75-C-09-0021. A Task Order will be issued to AMEC Earth & Environmental, Inc. for independent design reviews of two ARRA Watershed Rehabilitation projects in the state of Oklahoma: Upper Clear Boggy Creek Watershed, sites 33 and 34. The NAICS Code for this Task Order is 541330, and the size standard is $4.5 Million. Design reviews with detailed cost proposals from AMEC Earth & Environmental are due no later than close of business on October 14, 2009. Negotiation procedures will be conducted in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) 36.6. The Contractor shall furnish the personnel, equipment, labor, materials, transportation, and facilities required to perform the services described below. The Contractor shall perform an independent review as required by the policy of the USDA'Natural Resources Conservation Service as stated in the National Engineering Manual (NEM) Part 501.05(a), Part 520.26 and Part 511.05(b). The NEM defines independent review as an examination and evaluation of procedures used and decisions made during the design of a dam by peers from outside NRCS or from an organizational unit other than the one responsible for the design. The NEM requires an independent review of designs for engineering job class VII and other projects, as determined, based on their complexity and potential hazard. The Contractor shall assume responsibility, along with the designer, for the functional adequacy and structural soundness of the design, except in those instances where the contractor's recommendations are not incorporated into the final design. The Contractor's capability must be equal to that needed to independently perform the design. Independent reviews are made to ensure that design and construction procedures and decisions reflect safety considerations as well as economy. Dam safety considerations are directly related to the potential for loss of life, damage to valuable property, or disruption of transportation and utility facilities if the dam fails. The classification of dams is determined by the potential for such losses and damage (see NEM 520.2l). The Contractor shall determine whether the methods of analyses are appropriate and the assumptions are justified by the site conditions, as well as whether the results are reasonable. The Contractor shall ensure that the design: 1) addresses all potential dam safety deficiencies, 2) safely and effectively meets the stated objectives, 3) addresses unique site conditions, 4) s consistent with industry practice for similar structures, and 5) Generally complies with, or has appropriate variances to, the more stringent of NRCS or applicable state policy and criteria.