This is a pre-solicitation notice for Architect-Engineering Services. The Government intends to award a single Indefinite Delivery - Indefinite Quantity contract for the work described in this notice. The Government intends to set this requirement aside 100% for small business. The NAICS for this requirement is 541320 Landscape Architectural Services with a small business size standard of $7.5M. FAR Clause 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting will be included in the resulting contract. This clause includes a requirement that for service contracts (except construction) at least 50% of the cost of contract performance incurred for personnel shall be expended for employees of the small business concern (prime contractor). This preliminary notice is being posted to allow prospective offerors time to read through the requirement, start building their consulting team and submit early questions regarding the work outlined in this notice. This notice will be updated in the next few (2-3) weeks with a more detailed requirement including evaluation criteria, submission requirements and a due date for submission. PROJECT BACKGROUND The Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area (MGRA) is located approximately twelve miles from downtown Juneau at the head of the Mendenhall Valley, the area of most rapid urban development in the City and Borough of Juneau. Use patterns within the Recreation Area are influenced by Juneau residents and out-of-town visitors. The Recreation Area encompasses 5,815 acres and includes parts of McGinnis Mountain and Mt. Bullard, the terminus of the Mendenhall Glacier, Mendenhall Lake and River, and the surrounding uplands. Elevations through much of the Recreation Area are less than 100 feet above sea level. On either side, mountains rise abruptly to over 4,000 feet. From its source twelve miles up in the Juneau Icefield, the Mendenhall Glacier flows between Bullard Mountain and McGinnis Mountain to Mendenhall Lake. DESCRIPTION AND SCOPE OF WORK. The Alaska Region of USDA Forest Service is seeking qualified contractors to deliver two items: (1) a Conceptual Development Plan for the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area (MGRA) and (2) a detailed Master Plan for the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center Unit (MGVC) of MGRA. To complete the MGVC Master Plan the contractor will need to prepare an Environmental Assessment between the preliminary version and final version MGVC Master Plan. The final MGVC Master Plan will reflect changes brought forth during the Environmental Assessment. The MGRA Conceptual Development Plan will guide the development of recreation infrastructure in the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area accommodating the anticipated visitation needs over the next 20 years with a goal of addressing all anticipated demand, while providing a vision for the next 50 years. The geographic scope of this effort will include the entire MGRA and accommodate all that want to visit the site by dispersing use throughout the MGRA. Trails and wildlife viewing are important activities to be incorporated into the Conceptual Development Plan. The plan will include both text and graphic depictions of the site to guide future facility developments that help achieve multiple purposes. A conceptual development plan, as used here, is general in nature and shows by schematic diagram the relationships between various land uses and forms of circulation within the site. It illustrates the relationships between proposed development(s) and existing and proposed site conditions. Typically a site analysis is completed as part of this work based on available information for topography, vegetation, soils, hydrology, existing infrastructure, etc. The plan shall include, as a minimum, proposed vehicular and pedestrian circulation patterns and location of parking areas, service areas, building locations, and other appurtenances considered in the overall design. Site development capacity (e.g, persons at one time, number of cars) should be included, and illustrative cross-sections through specific areas are desirable in providing the intent of the site design commensurate with large area development plans. The second major work product is a site-specific master plan for the MGVC unit. Master planning will balance opportunities and constraints of the current site, the needs of the site to serve the public and to protect resources, and to fulfill management objectives such as transportation efficiency and sustainability, accessibility, energy conservation, improved visitor experiences, and resource protection. The master plan will identify how to best serve the immediate needs at the site. In addition there will be a series of conceptual designs depicting site specific improvements, which will likely require additional topographic surveys. There will be a need for public charrettes to inform the public and gather information and critiques of the work completed for both components of the project; many of these meetings will be able to serve both projects. It is anticipated that much of the information gathered and generated in the Conceptual Development Plan will assist in refining the MGVC Master Plan. There will also be public meetings that will conform to the requirements specified for NEPA analysis of the conceptual designs completed for the MGVC Master Plan. It is anticipated there will a total of between six and eight public meetings/charrettes. Any designs shall incorporate current accessibility standards: Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standards (ABAAS); the Forest Service Outdoor Recreation Accessibility Guidelines (FSORAG) and The Forest Service Trails Accessibility Guidelines (FSTAG). The Government is relying upon the Contractor to provide complete planning and design services in the performance of this work. We envision the team will bring innovative ideas based on research of other locations that will challenge our existing perceptions and ideas, and excel at involving the public and constituents in an engaging, positive process to harness the ideas and connection of the people to the area. It is anticipated that the team will consist of the following disciplines: Landscape Architects, Landscape Planners, Civil Engineers, NEPA Specialists, Public Involvement Specialists and Subject Matter Experts in some or all of the following topics: climate change, economics, ecology, glaciology, natural resource interpretation, renewable energy, sustainable tourism, visitor and recreation trends, terrestrial and aquatic biology, transit systems for parks, sustainable building design. SCHEDULE The Forest Service anticipates awarding four total task orders for this work. The period of performance for this requirement (all task orders) is anticipated to be two years from date of award.
