Unrestricted Set-Aside Architect Engineering (A-E) - Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Contract - Geotechnical Services

Unrestricted Set-Aside Architect Engineering (A-E) - Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Contract - Geotechnical Services 1. This regional A-E contract acquisition will be conducted in accordance with Public Law 92-582 (the "Brooks Act"), Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 36.6, and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 236.6. The contract will be primarily for work in the Seattle District (Washington, Idaho, Montana and Oregon). One (1) unrestricted, full and open competition - Firm, Fixed-Price (FFP), Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract will be the result of this notice. The contract period of performance for the contract will be for two years, with no option periods. However, if the Contracting Officer determines during the selection process that no contract should be awarded based upon the selection criteria, the Contracting Officer has the discretion of awarding none at all. The total contract amount shall not exceed one million eight hundred forty thousand dollars ($1,840,000). Individual task orders collectively shall not exceed the total contract amount. The minimum guarantee for the contract will be two thousand-five hundred dollars ($2,500.00). The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code for this procurement is 541330 -- Engineering Services. For the purposes of this procurement, a concern is considered a small business if its average annual gross receipts are $15 million or less. Under the Brooks Act, there is no price competition, and selection on the most highly qualified firms will be based on demonstrated competence and professional qualifications. Once selected, the most highly qualified firm will have the opportunity to negotiate with the Government for a fair and reasonable price. The ordering period for the IDIQ contract will begin on the date of contract award and will be in effect for the two (2)-year base period. The period of performance for task orders awarded under the IDIQ contract will be determined based upon the work requirement (not to exceed two (2) years) and will be included in the task order solicitation and negotiated award documents. A Request for Proposal (RFP) will be issued to the selected firm for each task order. The Service Contract Act of 1965, as Amended, is applicable to this solicitation and resulting contracts and will be incorporated into each task order. Service wage rates will be determined relative to both the employee's office location and the location of the work. To be eligible for contract award, a firm must have a D-U-N-S number from Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) and be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM). For information in regard to opening a SAM account, see the following link for instructions: https://www.sam.gov/sam/transcript/Quick_Guide_for_Contract_Registrations_v1.7.pdf. Contractors may obtain information on registration and annual confirmation requirements via the Internet at http://www.sam.gov or by calling (866) 606-8220. Additionally, in accordance with FAR Subpart 22.1303, all firms must complete their VETS-4212 report. Information can be found at the Department of Labor website: http://www.dol.gov/vets/programs/fcp/main.htm, or call the service center at 1-866-237-0275; be prepared to provide the company name, employer identification number (EIN), and DUNs number. 2. Project Information: Firms must be capable of performing work on a wide variety of projects with a geotechnical focus. Specific needs will be determined based upon project requirements as described in each task order. Project assignments will typically require performance both on-site and in an office setting. Selected firms will work on a variety of geotechnical projects, including, but not limited to subsurface exploration and documentation, land and water-borne geophysical investigations, surface geologic mapping, embankment design, foundation design, soil and rock mechanics, tunneling design, seismic site evaluation, geotechnical site evaluation, blasting design, groundwater studies, including modeling and aquifer test analysis, water well design and well/aquifer testing, installation of piezometers, inclinometers, or other geotechnical instrumentation, production and delivery of plans and specifications, and other geotechnical studies. Geotechnical services are required to support NWS missions, including subsurface exploration, geologic mapping, sampling, testing, design and analyses of embankments, foundations for structures and similar facilities, blasting design, geophysical exploration, and rock mechanics investigations. Firms may be expected to perform the following requirements, as well as other requirements. These services typically are in support of dam safety or other NWS program needs such as civil works or military construction. - Perform engineering geologic mapping of rock and soil deposits and analyses of drilling and mapping data in light of areal or regional geology as applicable to the specific project. Perform subsurface geologic investigations and interpretations using geophysical methods including, but not limited to, seismic refraction, ground-penetrating radar, electro-magnetics, resistivity, magnetics, and sub-bottom acoustics. - Perform laboratory testing of soil samples to determine gradation, moisture content, plasticity, shear strength, and consolidation characteristics, as appropriate, for the analyses and design activity. Perform laboratory testing of rock samples. - Perform engineering analyses and design studies, including stability and seepage analyses, ground water modeling, and foundation design analyses, as appropriate, in accordance with accepted professional practice, and using data furnished by the Government or obtained from exploration, geologic mapping, reconnaissance, and laboratory testing programs. - Conduct subsurface investigations using techniques including, but not limited to, test pits, cone penetrometer soundings, and exploration drilling using air-rotary auger, mud-rotary auger, diamond core-drilling, sonic, or other drilling methods. Exploration drilling will include the services of qualified geologists or soils engineers, as appropriate, and full-time inspectors and data-loggers. Prepare logs of exploration using gINT or other USACE-approved software. Perform review services for draft geotechnical and seismological reports prepared by others. Prepare and submit geotechnical reports containing results of all work and recommendations for investigations and designs, as appropriate. Content of reports will be designated in each work order. Plan, prepare, conduct, and conclude site-specific investigations, remedial investigations, and feasibility studies consistent with hazardous and toxic waste site clean- up legislation. Perform groundwater contamination analyses and modeling. Perform groundwater flow and seepage modeling for geotechnical site investigations, designs, and monitoring. - Conduct slope stability analyses for slopes in soil and rock, excavation slopes, tunnels, embankments, and dam embankments. Develop slope/tunnel stabilization measures and designs. - Conduct seismic hazard and seismic site response studies for dams and other structures. Conduct dam safety evaluations, including potential failure modes analysis, risk analysis, and development of interim risk reduction measures for dams and their abutments. - Perform design of flexible and rigid pavements for roads, airfields, parking areas, aprons, and other facilities. 3. Selection Criteria: Selection of the firms will be based on the following primary criteria, listed in descending order of importance, first by major criterion and then by each sub-criterion. Additional consideration will be given for experience and qualifications of the prime or Joint Venture (including JV partners). Criteria A through E are primary criteria and will be evaluated for all offerors. Criteria F through H are secondary criteria and will only be used as - tie-breakers' among firms that are technically equal based on the primary criteria. The secondary criteria will not be co-mingled with the primary criteria in the evaluation. The three secondary criteria are listed below in order of descending importance (the highest level criterion will be evaluated first, and others considered only if required). Primary Selection Criteria: (A) Specialized experience and technical competence of the firm demonstrated encompassing the broad range of geotechnical work required for this contract. Firms will be evaluated for experience and competence in (1) performing engineering geologic mapping of rock and overburden deposits and analyses of drilling and mapping data in light of areal or regional geology; (2) performing laboratory testing of soil samples to determine characteristics; (3) performing engineering analyses and design studies, including stability and seepage analyses, ground water modeling, and foundation design; (4) conducting subsurface investigations using a wide variety of techniques and providing review services for draft geotechnical and seismological reports; (5) conducting slope stability analyses for slopes in soil and rock and developing slope/tunnel stabilization measures and designs; and (6) conducting seismic hazard and seismic site response studies for dams and other structures and conducing dam safety evaluations. The basis for the evaluation will be the information in Section F of the SF330. (B) Professional qualifications of a firm's staff and team consultants to be assigned to this contract. The education, training, professional registration, proposed job title, overall and relevant geotechnical experience, longevity with the firm, and experience of key personnel will be considered. This criterion is primarily concerned with the qualifications of the key personnel and not the number of personnel. The number of personnel is addressed under the capacity criterion below. Responding firms should demonstrate the professional qualifications of their staff in these key disciplines, which are listed in descending order of importance. List professional registrations or certifications, if applicable, for the key disciplines: (1) Project Management; (2) Quality Control Management; (3) Geology; (4) Hydrogeology; (5) Geotechnical Engineering; (6) Structural Engineering; (7) Instrumentation Engineering; and (8) Cost Engineering. The basis for the evaluation will be the information in Sections E, G, and H of the SF330. (C) Past performance on DoD and other contracts with respect to cost control, quality of work, management/business relations, and compliance with performance schedules. CPARS is the primary source of information on past performance. CPARS will be queried for all firms submitting a SF330. Each project in Section F of the SF330 shall include owner's contact information. If deemed appropriate by the evaluation board, performance evaluations for any significant team subcontractors may also be considered. The board may seek information on past performance from other sources, but is not required to seek other information on the past performance of a firm, if none is available from CPARS. The board will consider the relevancy of each performance evaluation on A-E services contracts to the proposed contract, including the type of work, performing office, age of the evaluation, and whether subsequent evaluations indicate a change in a firm's performance. (D) Capacity: The board will consider available capacity of key disciplines identified above from the Prime/JV and its team consultants to perform work in the required time. The basis for the evaluation will be the information in Section H and Part II of the SF330. (E) Knowledge of the Locality: The board will evaluate a Prime/JV's familiarity with local conditions. Examples include knowledge and experience dealing with geological features and the state/ local regulatory agencies. Work under these contracts may be in a widely dispersed geographic area; therefore, responding firms should demonstrate the extent of their capabilities to serve projects located throughout the USACE NWD. The basis for the evaluation will be the information in Section H of the SF330. Secondary Selection Criteria: (F) Extent of Small Business Participation, including Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSB), Small Disadvantaged Businesses (SDB), historically black colleges and universities, and minority institutions) in the proposed contract team, measured as a percentage of the total estimated effort. (G) Geographical Proximity to the USACE Seattle District office and its engineering and construction personnel located in the covered states (Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and Washington). (H) Volume of DoD A-E Contract Awards in the last 12 months. Responding firms should cite all contract numbers, task orders and modifications, award dates, and total negotiated fees for any DoD A-E contract awarded within the past twelve (12) months. This information will assist in effecting an equitable distribution of DoD A-E contracts among qualified firms, including SB and SDB. The basis for the evaluation will be the information in Section H of the SF330. 4. Submittal Requirements: Interested firms having the capabilities to perform this work must submit one (1) original plus five (5) copies and one (1) CD or DVD with searchable Adobe PDF files of one (1) SF 330 (03/2013 edition) for the prime firm that includes all team consultants. Include the firm's DUNS number and CAGE codes in the SF 330, Part I, Sections B and C. A maximum of ten (10) projects for the proposed team, including joint ventures and teaming partners, shall be shown in Section F. For the ten (10) projects submitted in Section F of the SF 330, a "project" is defined as work performed at one site or at a single installation. An Indefinite Delivery Contract (IDC) is not a project. A project may contain multiple task orders or contracts if they are for multiple phases of the project at the same site or installation. Project descriptions shall clearly state extent of work performed by the team, extent of work completed, and dates of completion. If the offeror provides a specific task order as its "project," it shall provide the base contract number(s) and the task order number(s) for reference purposes. If the offeror provides a site-specific contract as its "project," it shall provide the contract number for reference purposes. Firms should include information regarding the Secondary Selection Criteria in Section H of the SF 330. The SF 330 shall have a total page limitation of 80 printed pages with Section H limited to fifteen (15) pages, and Part II is excluded from the 80 printed page limit. Double-sided sheets will count as two (2) pages. Page sheets of 11 inches X 17 inches will be counted as two (2) pages if printed on one side, and four (4) pages if printed on both sides. For all SF 330 sections, use no smaller than 10 pt. font. Solicitation packages are not provided. This is not a request for proposal. Submittals must be mailed or delivered to the following address not later than 17 January 2017, 2:00 pm Pacific Time (no faxed or other electronic submittals will be accepted): EMAIL: Emailed Proposal will NOT be accepted. FAX: Faxed Proposal will NOT be accepted. FED-EX/UPS: John Scola, Contract Specialist, Building 1202 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District CECT-NWS 4735 East Marginal Way S., Bldg #1202 Seattle, WA 98134-2385 Note: Commercial Carriers will not deliver to PO Boxes MAIL: John Scola, Contract Specialist, Building 1202 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District CECT-NWS PO Box 3755 Seattle, WA 98124-3755 HAND DELIVERY: John Scola, Contract Specialist, Building 1202 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District CECT-NWS 4735 East Marginal Way S., Bldg #1202 Seattle, WA 98134-2385 The method of Hand Delivery has changed and takes longer than the previous method of arriving at the Federal Center South building (#1201) lobby to deliver your Offer, Bid or Proposal. Please allow sufficient time to allow for heightened security at Government installations and to get to our new location in Oxbow Building #1202. Allow time to park, pass through a metal detector, sign in, and receive a building pass at the Federal Center South Building (#1201). From there, you will be directed to the new USACE Oxbow Building (#1202) which sits behind the Federal Center South Building (#1201). Allow additional time. Report to the Security Desk in the lobby of the USACE Oxbow Building and call Sonia Frees, Procurement Technician, at 206-674-3516. A Contracting representative will come down and accept your Offer, Bid or Proposal. Submit questions, in writing only, to John P. Scola (Contract Specialist) at john.p.scola@usace.army.mil or Travis Shaw (Technical Advisor) at travis.c.shaw@usace.army.mil. Questions must be submitted no later than 6 January 2017 and must contain the solicitation number in the subject line of the e-mail.