Solicitation: AE MEP IDIQ

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), within the U.S. Department of Commerce, is soliciting qualifications for a Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC) to provide Architectural and Engineering (A/E) services focused on Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) systems for facilities in Gaithersburg and Montgomery County, Maryland. This is a two-phase, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) solicitation structured under the Selection of Architects and Engineers Statute and implemented via FAR Part 36.202, with a 100% small business set-aside under NAICS code 541330. The process begins with Phase One, where offerors must submit SF 330 forms and supporting documentation without pricing; only the most highly qualified firms will be invited to submit fee proposals in Phase Two after negotiations. Evaluation is strictly based on five descending-weighted factors: specialized laboratory design experience (a mandatory pass/fail gate), professional qualifications of the firm and its key personnel, capacity to meet timelines, past performance in quality, cost control, and schedule compliance, and firm location—with preference given to those within 52 miles of NIST. The evaluation board will review no more than five relevant laboratory projects per offeror, and all personnel experience must be from 2019 or later. Key personnel must include a Project Manager, Senior HVAC Engineer, Senior Electrical Engineer, and Senior Plumbing Engineer, all of whom must be licensed or credentialed in their field, and substitutions require prior written approval from the Contracting Officer. Performance is restricted to NIST facilities in Gaithersburg and surrounding Montgomery County locations, with delivery terms specified as F.O.B. Destination, requiring the contractor to pack, mark, ship, and assume risk for all materials until receipt at 100 Bureau Drive, Building 301, Gaithersburg, MD. All documents must bear the “FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY” marking, and shipments require advance coordination with NIST due to site access restrictions. The contract includes a one-year base period with four optional one-year extensions, and each task order will define its own period of performance, deliverables, and schedule. Contract administration responsibilities fall to a designated Contracting Officer, Contract Specialist, and Contracting Officer’s Representative, who will review all deliverables within 21 days of submission. Invoicing is strictly in arrears under Net 30-day terms, contingent upon completion