New Embassy Compound, Mexico City

The U.S. Department of State (DOS), Office of Logistics Management, on behalf of the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO), is seeking a qualified architectural/engineering (A/E), joint venture or other such entity, to provide comprehensive A/E design services for a new U.S. Embassy compound in Mexico City, Mexico. This will be a design-bid-build project. The resultant contract shall be fixed price. The estimated construction cost is between $350 million and $450 million. The new Embassy compound will be constructed on U.S. Government-owned property located in the Nuevo Polanco neighborhood of Mexico City. It will be in the range of 40,000-45,000 gross square meters in area and will include a new Chancery, General Services Office/support buildings, parking structures, Marine Security Guard Quarters, and vehicular/pedestrian screening facilities. The Department of State project shall demonstrate the value of true integrated design that balances aesthetics, cost, constructability and reliability, following the Guiding Principles of Design Excellence (http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/164725.pdf). This project will be designed and constructed to achieve, as a goal, a LEED Platinum rating. The A/E services required include work involving architectural, landscape and engineering disciplines for an overseas diplomatic facility. At a minimum, additional expertise is required in: information systems; telecommunications; physical and technical security; sustainable design; energy conservation; pollution prevention and the use of recovered materials; space planning and interior design; food service planning; vertical transportation; lighting design; reliability centered maintenance; design and construction scheduling; cost estimating, and value engineering. The successful offeror will be required to have an approved local design consultant. Identifying the local consultant is not required at this time. Information on the local consultant requirement will be provided to the successful offeror when the request for proposal is issued. U.S. codes and USG requirements will apply. The site, buildings and related facilities will be designed in hard metric (system International) units. Construction documents shall be submitted with AutoCAD Release 2008 or higher and REVIT Architecture 2008. The successful offeror will be required to use OBO ProjNet for the electronic transmission of Sensitive But Unclassified USG information and ProjNet-C for Classified U.S. Government information. ? A three-stage process shall be used in the award selection, as follows: In Stage 1, prospective offerors will submit portfolios of accomplishment that establish the design capabilities of the A/E firm and the Lead Designer. The Pre-Selection Board (PSB) will establish an initial short-list of offerors to be further considered in Stage 2. In Stage 2, offerors will assemble their technical teams and submit detailed information on their organization and qualifications. Offerors will be point-scored by the Technical Evaluation Panel (TEP) based on evaluation criteria provided by OBO at the conclusion of Stage 1. The PSB will review the TEP scoring and establish the final short-list of offerors for consideration in Stage 3. In Stage 3, the final short-list of offerors will be make presentations to the Architectural-Engineering Council (AEC) and the AEC will hold discussions with each of the short-listed firms. The AEC will not re-score the remaining offerors, but will make its own determination of the most highly qualified team consistent with the announced evaluation criteria and will recommend that offeror for award to the OBO Director. Stage 1 Submission Requirements and Evaluation Criteria. The assembled content for the Stage 1 portfolio shall be no more than 50 single-faced pages. 8 " x 11" format will be counted as one page and 11" x 17" will be counted as two pages. Submissions shall be double-sided, where feasible. The portfolio should include, in the following order: a cover letter referencing the FedBizOpps announcement and briefly describing the A/E firm and its location, organizational makeup, and noteworthy accomplishments; Standard Form 330 Architect-Engineer Qualifications Part II; and responses to the submission requirements and evaluation criteria listed below. The PSB, which is comprised of representatives from the Overseas Buildings Operations, Department of State, and other government agencies, shall evaluate the submissions. The Board shall establish a short-list of qualified firms. Identification of team members, other than the Lead Designer, is not required in this stage. The Lead Designer is the individual or individuals who will have primary responsibility to develop the concept for the project. Consultant and "production firm" (if different from the A/E firm) information should not be included in the Stage 1 portfolio. ? (1) A/E FIRM PAST PERFORMANCE ON DESIGN (35 points maximum). A/E firms shall submit a portfolio of not more than five projects completed in the last ten years (maximum of 5 pages per project). The narrative shall address the design approach with salient features for each project and discuss how the client's program, image, mission, economic, schedule, maintenance, functional and operational objectives were satisfied by the overall design/planning solution. It should comment on the relevance of submitted projects to the OBO project, including site design, architectural design strategy and sustainability. This section of the submission should cite certificates, awards, peer recognition, etc. demonstrating design excellence, and provide a client reference contact for each project, including name, title, address, email, phone, and fax numbers. A representative floor plan, a site plan, a building section, or other appropriate drawings, and a minimum of two photographs must be included for each project. (2) LEAD DESIGNER PORTFOLIO (30 points maximum). Submit a portfolio representative of the Lead Designer's ability to provide design excellence. Address their participation in each project. Submit a portfolio of up to three projects completed in the last ten years (maximum of five pages per project). The narrative shall address the design philosophy with salient features for each project and discuss how the client's program, image, mission, economic, schedule, maintenance, functional, and operational objectives were satisfied by the overall design/planning solution. Cite any certificates, awards peer recognition, etc., demonstrating design excellence. Where there is duplication with the Past Performance on Design criteria, the Lead Designer shall address their participation in the project. (3) PHILOSOPHY AND DESIGN INTENT (20 points maximum). The Lead Designer (in a maximum of two pages) shall state: the parameters of an overall design philosophy; their approach to the challenge of public architecture and related issues; parameters that may apply in creating an overseas diplomatic presence; and their commitment to integrated and sustainable design. (4) LEAD DESIGNER PROFILE(S) (15 points maximum). Submit a biographical sketch (maximum of three pages per person) including education, professional experience, and recognition for design efforts inclusive of the portfolio examples. Identify and describe areas of responsibility and commitment to each project. The short-listed Lead Designers and their associated A/E Firms will be notified, in writing, and requested to submit more detailed information indicating each member of the design team, including all outside consultants for Stage 2 evaluation. Sufficient time will be provided for the Lead Designer and associated offerors to establish its team. The Government will establish the detailed evaluation criteria and the date that these submittals are due and provide the selection criteria for the interviews along with the Stage 1 short-list announcement. Stage 3 details, and evaluation criteria, will be established along with the Stage 2 short-list announcement. In order to be eligible for award of this contract, the successful offeror must possess, or be eligible to obtain, a Defense Security Service (DSS) Secret Facility Clearance (FCL), with Secret safeguarding capability, issued in accordance with the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM), DOD 5220.22-M. Additionally, the successful offeror selected for contract award must possess, or immediately obtain an Information System (IS) or standalone computer, approved by DSS, for processing classified information. Performance on this contract will require access to the Department's ProjNet-C, for receipt and transmission of all classified information, and a DSS-approved classified IS for processing classified information. Contractors already possessing the necessary FCL should submit their appropriate Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code with their Stage 2 submissions. If a contractor making the Stage 3 short-list does not possess an Interim or Final Secret FCL, the Department of State will sponsor the uncleared firm for an FCL. Sponsorship does not guarantee that the firm will receive the clearance. A period of 90 calendar days, from the date of sponsorship, will be allowed for an uncleared contractor to obtain the necessary FCL. The Government will not be obligated to extend its competition schedule, if any short-listed sponsored firm has not been issued a FCL. Firms which form joint ventures must also comply with the above FCL requirements. Each entity comprising the joint venture must be issued an FCL, as well as the joint venture. Foreign firms are not eligible for FCLs. Only U.S. firms organized and operating in the U.S. or Puerto Rico, or a U.S. possession or trusted territory, are eligible for facility clearances. U.S. firms which are determined to be under Foreign Ownership, Control or Influence (FOCI) are not eligible for an FCL unless actions (as directed and approved by DSS) can be taken to effectively negate or reduce associated FOCI risks to an acceptable level. This process often takes more than the 90 calendar days allotted for clearance. Information on the clearance process can be found on the DSS website, at http://www.dss.mil, under Industrial Security. Until short-listed firms have been issued the appropriate FCL, and received DSS approval to safeguard classified documents, they will not receive the classified portions of the Stage 3 RFP requirements package. Certain design team subcontractors/consultants may also require FCLs and personnel security clearances. The Department of State may sponsor one uncleared design subcontractor/consultant, at the request of an uncleared short-listed firm. Any other uncleared design team subcontractors/consultants must be sponsored by the short-listed firm, only after that firm receives its own FCL. ? A copy of the Prohibited Countries List, from which offerors may not choose design team members, can be obtained from the Contracting Officer listed in the last paragraph of this announcement. Firms being considered for award under this acquisition are limited to "United States Person" offerors, as defined in the Act. The offeror must complete and submit as part of its qualification package the pamphlet, Certifications Relevant to Public Law 99-399, Statement of Qualifications for Purpose of Section 402 of The Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1986. (The pamphlet is attached to this announcement and may also be obtained from the Contracting Officer listed at the end of this notice.) This is neither a request for proposal nor a design competition. Since a contract may result in an award over $500,000, large businesses will be required to submit a small business subcontracting plan prior to contract award. The small business size standard North American Industry Classification System code is 541310, $4.5 million average. Selection shall be in accordance with the Brooks Act, P.L. 92-582 (40 U.S.C. 1101-1104). After the successful offeror has been selected, the resultant contract award will be dependent on the conclusion of successful negotiations concerning level of effort and price. Offerors that meet the requirements described in this announcement are invited to submit the required Stage 1 documents. Firms shall submit six hard copies and one digital, PDF version on CD. The submission shall incorporate tabs to clearly identify the different solicitation requirements. Offerors may find a copy of the SF-330 at the following website: http://contacts.gsa.gov/webforms.nsf/0/21DBF5BF7E860FC185256E13005C6AA6/$file/SF%20330.pdf. Firms must also submit two copies of a statement of qualifications for purposes of Section 402 of the Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1986 P.L. 99-399 (questionnaire forms are available by e-mail request to Mr. Brian Mulcahy, Contracting Officer, at mulcahybf@state.gov.) A firm being considered for award must meet the definition of a "United States person" of P.L. 99-399, Section 402 thereof, as follows: (1) be legally organized in the United States more than five years prior to the issuance of a request for proposal; (2) have its principal place of business in the United States; (3) have performed within the U.S. administrative, technical or professional services similar in complexity, type of construction, and value of the project being solicited; (4) employ U.S. citizens in a least 80 percent of principal management positions in the U.S.; and (5) have existing technical and financial resources in the U.S. to perform the contract. Firms not meeting the "United Sates persons" requirement will not be considered. ? All submissions listed in Stage 1 (including the statement of qualifications of P.L. 99-399, must be received by 11:00 a.m., Eastern Daylight Time, on January 18, 2012. Requests for clarification must be received, in writing, by Mr. Brian Mulcahy, not later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time, on December 21, 2011. The e-mail address to submit clarification questions is mulcahybf@state.gov. Clarifications received after the deadline, and telephone requests for information, shall not be accepted. U.S. Postal Service mailing address: Mr. Brian Mulcahy, U.S. Department of State, A/LM/AQM/FDCD, Room L-600, P.O. Box 9115, Arlington, VA 22219. Courier address (Federal Express, UPS, etc): Mr. Brian Mulcahy, U.S. Department of State, Office of Logistics Management, 1701 North Fort Myer Drive, Room L-600, Arlington, VA 22209. Note: The Post Office does not deliver to 1701 N. Fort Myer Drive.