ENGINEER CONSULTANT/FIRM FOR INTEGRATED BLAST/PROGRESSIVE COLLAPSE ANALYTICAL STUDIES

The General Services Administration (GSA), Public Buildings Service (PBS), Contracting and Facilities Division (PGE) is seeking an Engineering Firm/Consultant to provide Integrated Blast/Progressive Collapse Analytical Studies for the Office of the Chief Architect. The Government intends to award one (1) Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) Engineering contract pursuant to procedures established by the Brooks Act and FAR Subpart 36.6, with a one year base period and a one-year option period, for a total of two (2) years. The option year may be exercised within the time frame specified in the resultant contract at the sole discretion of the Government subject to workload and/or satisfaction of the performance under the prospective contract. BUSINESS SIZE STANDARD. The proposed contract is being solicited as a 100% Set-Aside for Small Business. The small business size standard classification is NAICS 541330, Employee Size Standard is $4.5M. Submitting firms must indicate their size status and that of their sub-consultants (if any). OBJECTIVES. The Federal government has a need to implement the performance-based requirements of the ISC Security Criteria to minimize the threat of progressive collapse due to extreme loadings from blast attack. The primary objective of this study is to provide practicing structural engineers with the design tools needed to reliably produce both safe and economical buildings that satisfy the requirements of the new GSA/UFC Progressive Collapse Criteria, without having to conduct physical tests in order to determine the behavioral limits for the connections being proposed. BACKGROUND. GSA has an obligation to provide a secure working environment for its employees and tenants. To provide secure structures, the design of GSA buildings must implement the performance-based requirements of the ISC Security Criteria. Currently structural engineers designing GSA steel frame buildings are forced to ignore critical non linear behaviors of beam-to-column connections that are known to initiate progressive collapse of buildings, because no reliable modeling parameters exist in the industry for this purpose. The results of these analytical studies and the criteria developed from it will provide practicing structural engineers with reliable, convenient and practical modeling tools that can be used to facilitate the capture of complex behaviors, high-order strains, and critical deformations needed to properly assess steel frame and connection performance when subjected to the combined threats of blast and progressive collapse. DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES. The Contractor shall provide all management, supervision, labor, administrative support, materials, supplies, and equipment necessary to perform the services under this project. THIS PROJECT REQUIRES A LICENSED PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER. BASE PERIOD SERVICES. The contractor shall develop a project work plan and a schedule of milestone dates for the work to be done (Deliverable 01) and allow for sufficient time to develop, review, and refinement. The plan shall be updated to reflect any approved changes during its progress. The contractor shall identify candidate structural steel connection types and corresponding parametric sets of connecting member sizes, including those connection types being addressed currently by GSA. The matrix of study material (Deliverable 02) shall be reviewed and approved by the delegated Contracting Officer's Representative (COR), before beginning the analyses. The contractor shall draw from existing resources and materials in conducting a search of available inelastic connection behaviors and properties for the selected candidate connections that might be part of a related program elsewhere. The contractor shall develop the design details for each connection type assembly chosen to be analyzed. The contractor shall conduct numerical simulations based on nonlinear modeling of candidate beam to column connection assemblies, for each parametric set of connection beams and columns, to determine representative dynamic blast and monotonic moment/rotation relationships from which to characterize inelastic connection behaviors and acceptable behavior limits. Provide an interim Report (Deliverable 03) documenting and summarizing the analyses conducted and the findings and prepare a briefing on the subject to be presented by the COR to GSA management. The contractor shall develop a project work plan for the option year work, which shall be a logical extension of the original work plan and showing what remaining work needs to be done (Deliverable 04). Two (2) of the contractor's employees shall travel to GSA, 1800 F Street NW., Washington DC for meetings (at least 2 meetings are anticipated). The meetings are to include updates, and a presentation by the contractor. OPTION PERIOD I SERVICES. The contractor shall update the original matrix (Deliverable 05) of connection types and corresponding parametric sets of member sizes that would complete all the possibilities of connections being used on GSA building designs. The contractor shall provide details of every connection type assembly chosen to be analyzed. The contractor shall conduct numerical simulations based on non linear modeling of each connection type and parametric member sizes, to determine the appropriate behavioral properties as an aid in non linear analysis that would be required by the new criteria. The contractor shall proved a final Report (Deliverable 06) and make a formal Briefing together with the COR to GSA management. Two (2) of the contractor's employees shall travel to GSA, 1800 F Street NW., Washington DC for meetings (at least 2 meetings are anticipated). The meetings are to include updates, and a presentation by the contractor. TRAVEL. All travel associated with this project must be approved in advance by the COR. Travel will be reimbursable AT COST and in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulations (FTR) and FAR Part 31. DISCIPLINES. The Government has determined the following disciplines may be required: 1) Principal Engineer; 2) Project Engineer Manager; and 3) Design Engineer. REQUIRED SKILLS. The contractor must have formal training in structural dynamics, and demonstrated experience with accepted design practices for blast resistant design and with referenced technical manuals. There must also be demonstrated expertise in using advanced analysis programs that perform nonlinear dynamic numerical simulations. Engineering Services require performance by a licensed engineer or their employees. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED EQUIPMENT AND MISCELLANEOUS OTHER. The Government shall provide the following materials to perform these services: - Building Plans and other Drawings, if determined necessary. - Material models, if determined necessary. - The contractor may receive access to other data and information necessary to perform this work only if determined needed by GSA and upon GSA's discretionary rights, resolve and approval. DELIVERABLES. The Contractor must be able to provide the following deliverables: (Base Period) - Deliverable 01: Project Plan and Schedule of Milestone Dates..........10/15/2008 - Deliverable 02: Matrix of Connection Types and Member Sizes..........11/15/2008 - Deliverable 03: Report and Presentation of Findings..........05/15/2009 - Deliverable 04: Revised Project Plan..........07/15/2009 (Option Period 01) - Deliverable 05: Revised Matrix for Analyses..........09/15/2009 - Deliverable 06: Final Report and Briefing.....05/15/2010 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE. The contract performance period is for a 12-month base period with one 12-month option period, for total possible contract duration of two (2) years. Performance shall commence upon issuance of a Notice to Proceed following award of the contract. LOCATION. Washington, DC Metropolitan Area (unless specified otherwise) EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD. The evaluation factors for award are under the Brooks Act. All competing firms shall use the Standard Form (SF) 330. The contractor will be evaluated for selection based on the evaluation criteria below. The evaluation factors are in descending order of importance. Factor 1: Firm's Professional Qualifications Necessary for Satisfactory Performance of Required Services.....30% Firm's registrations, licenses and other professional affiliations or accreditations necessary for satisfactory performance under the contract. Evidence of formal training in structural dynamics, and demonstrated experience with accepted design practices for blast resistant design and with referenced technical manuals. There must also be demonstrated expertise in using advanced analysis programs that perform nonlinear dynamic numerical simulations. Submission of resumes, for all personnel, shall identify the anticipated duties of the person as full-time or part-time, and identify the person as an employee of the Engineering firm or as an employee of a consulting firm. Factor 2: Specialized experience and technical competence in Blast Engineering Services.....30% Submission of three but not more than five similarly scoped projects completed in the last ten years (maximum of five pages per project). Accompanying narrative shall discuss the company's role under the project; managerial approach to accomplishing the tasks; general services provided; and accomplishments and/or concerns upon contract completion (if completed). Factor 3: Capacity to accomplish the work in the required time.....15% Summarize, in narrative form, the firm's track record in meeting the needs of at least 3 previous clients, with regard to performance schedules and level of services required. Identify the firm's quality control plan set-in place to guarantee development, review, and delivery of acceptable products. Factor 4: Past performance on contracts with Government agencies and private industry in terms of cost control, quality of work, and compliance with performance schedules.....15% Provide three (3) references to include: 1) contract/order number; 2) period of performance; 3) company's name: 4) point of contact; 5) address; 6) telephone number; 7) email address; and 8) a brief description of the services. Factor 5: Location in the general geographical area of the project and knowledge of the locality of the project; provided, that application of this criterion leaves an appropriate number of qualified firms, given the nature and size of the project;.....10% Prime Contractor demonstrates that it is located in the general geographic area of the project and that the prime contractor or its subcontractors who will be performing at that site have knowledge of the locality of the project. PHASE II. If selected for an interview, the Firm shall be prepared to discuss all aspects of the evaluation criteria indicated above. The interviews will involve discussions on project concepts and their methods of furnishing the required services (management approach). Due to the nature of this project, strong oral and written communications will also be evaluated in each subfactor above. NAICS CODE. The Primary NAICS Code is 541330, Engineering Services ($4.5M in annual gross receipts for a period of three years). Award of a Contract is contingent upon a successful audit and negotiation of labor rates and overhead and profit allowances. The contract to be awarded hereunder are procured under the Brooks Architect-Engineers Act of 1972 (Pubic Law 92-582) and FAR Part 36.6. SUBMISSION OF QUALIFICATIONS. Firms having the capabilities to perform the services described in this announcement are invited to respond by submitting a completed Standard Form 330 - Architect - Engineer Qualifications on or before 12:00 pm, E.S.T. on Thursday, August 28, 2008. All questions must be submitted under this project by Monday, August 4, 2008 @ 12:00pm, E.S.T. Responses shall be addressed to: Ms. Paris N. Marshall, Contract Specialist, General Services Administration (GSA), Public Buildings Services (PBS), Center for Acquisition Services (PGE), 1800 F Street, NW, Room 4302, Washington, DC 20405. Facsimile copies of the submittal will not be considered. It is the responsibility of the offeror to ensure that its submittal is received in a timely manner at the address designed above. All questions must be submitted in writing and emailed to Ms. Paris N. Marshall at contact@example.gov. (NO TELEPHONE CALLS PLEASE). Interested firms meeting the requirements described above must submit five (5) completed copies (one marked "Original") each of U.S. Government Standard Form 330, Parts I and II including any supplemental information necessary to further address the Selection Criteria. The following information MUST be on the outside of the sealed envelope: (1) Solicitation Number/Title, (2) Due Date and (3) Closing Time. Only firms responding by the specified time will be considered for selection (Late responses are subject to FAR Provision 52.215-1). All contractors must be registered in Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database to be considered for an award. Contractors may obtain information on registration via the internet at www.ccr.gov or by calling +1 (555) 000-0000. All questions concerning this announcement shall be directed to Ms. Paris N. Marshall (contact@example.gov) at +1 (555) 000-0000 or the Contracting Officer, Ms. Virginia D. Burwell (contact@example.gov) at +1 (555) 000-0000.