Y1PC--PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS (PLA’s) Survey and request for CONTRACTOR CAPABILITY STATEMENT PACKAGE at Tahoma National Cemetery, Phase 3 Development

PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS (PLA s) Survey and request for CONTRACTOR CAPABILITY STATEMENT PACKAGE This is a SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE for Market Research ONLY. NO AWARD will be made from this Sources Sought Notice. This Sources Sought Notice (SSN) is for market research purposes in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10 and FAR 15.201(e), to determine the availability and technical capabilities of qualified sources. It does not constitute a solicitation and is not to be considered as a commitment by the Government. All firms responding to this notice are advised that their response to this notice is not a request that will be considered for contract award. All interested parties will be required to respond to the resultant solicitation separately from their response to this notice. Tahoma National Cemetery Phase 3 Development Project Scope The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) seeks expressions of interest for a construction contract at Tahoma National Cemetery Phase 3 Development with the use of a Project Labor Agreement (PLA). The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) of 237990 (Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction) with the size standard of $45.0 Million. The approximate project duration will be 912 calendar days from the Notice to Proceed. The estimated magnitude for this project is between $50,000,000 and $100,000,000. VA is considering conducting this acquisition as a best value with tradeoffs in accordance with FAR Part 15, Contracting by Negotiation. Project Description: The National Cemetery Administration (NCA) is one of three Administrations within the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that provide for the delivery of services and benefits to Veterans. NCA is responsible for providing cemetery services to Veterans and other eligible persons pursuant to the provisions of the National Cemeteries Act of 1973 and other statutory authority and regulations (38 U.S.C. 2306, 38 U.S.C. Chapter 24, 38 CFR Parts 38-39.) NCA s responsibilities include the operation and maintenance of 134 national cemeteries, and the construction of new national cemeteries. The NCA mission is to honor Veterans with final resting places in national shrines and with lasting tributes that commemorate their service to our Nation. The NCA provides burial space for eligible Veterans and family members; maintains the graves and their environs as national shrines in perpetuity; assists state and tribal organizations in providing burial benefits to Veterans through the Veterans Cemetery Grants Program; furnishes headstones and markers for graves in national, federally-administered state, tribal, and private cemeteries; marks Veterans' graves with a Government-furnished headstone, marker or medallion and provides Presidential Memorial Certificates in recognition of their service to a grateful nation; and administers grants for establishing or expanding state and tribal government veterans cemeteries. The purpose of this project is to enable an existing national cemetery to continue to provide burial services for eligible veterans in the Puget Sound region of Washington State. This proposed development will provide an additional 15 years of continued burial service to a veteran population who has been served by this national cemetery since it opened. Without this project NCA is projecting gravesite depletion of casketed gravesites by October 2036, columbarium niche cremation sites by October 2029, and in-ground cremation gravesites by January 2027. In accordance with the updated master plan prepared as part of this project for the entire 158-acre site, this project will develop approximately 15 acres of the 36 undeveloped acres remaining at Tahoma National Cemetery. This project will comprise the next construction phase of cemetery development and will primarily include the construction of additional burial facilities intended to provide 15 years of service on existing, undeveloped land. The remainder of the site will be developed in future 15-year phased projects. Since this is an existing cemetery, only those facilities and infrastructure elements necessary to support the added maintenance, operations, and burial capacity for approximately 15 years will comprise this phase of construction. This investment will develop approximately 15 acres of undeveloped land to provide approximately 22,700 gravesites, including both casket, green burial, and cremation sites in new burial sections as follows: 1. Casketed remains: Approximately 1,600 pre-placed crypt full casket gravesites Approximately 400 over-sized pre-placed crypt full casket gravesites Approximately 200 traditional casket gravesites for private vaults 2. Cremated remains: Approximately 6,500 in-ground cremation, garden niche, or terrace sites Approximately 18,000 columbarium niches Approximately 300 memorial wall plaque sites In addition to the gravesite expansion the following elements will be included in this project: 1. Access roads and parking to include: New access roads as required to support expanded Phase 3 area. Add concrete curbs to existing roads to control drainage where possible. Condition assessment of existing pervious asphalt; resurfacing/restoration (mill/repave) existing asphalt roads. Construct asphalt pathways to accommodate equipment access at new burial sections. Service road to access water meter at north end of property. 2. Grading, drainage, irrigation, and landscaping at new burial sections and Phase 3 expansion area. 3. Temporary trailers to support VA staff and cemetery visitors during construction (for example, restroom trailer, office space, etc.) 4. Site furnishings (benches, trash receptacles), signage, and flower watering stations throughout the expanded Phase 3 area. 5. Replace all existing Phase 1 flower watering stations to match new stations. 6. Replace all existing signage throughout the cemetery; recommend changes to improve readability. 7. Replace all existing Phase 1 benches and trash receptacles. 8. Construct new honor guard building with stand-alone septic system (approximately 1,232 GSF). 9. Construct new satellite public restroom with stand-alone septic system (approximately 1,000 GSF) in the vicinity of existing flag assembly area. 10. Irrigation control system upgrades throughout the cemetery to provide greater efficiency and improved monitoring capability. 11. Flag assembly area: Redirect runoff to existing drainage systems from grassy slope. Reinforce retaining walls. 12. Make minor improvements to the following septic tanks. a. Admin building: Replace effluent filter. b. PIC building: Removal of FboNotices and repair risers at the point where the intrusion is occurring and replace effluent filter. 13. Existing columbaria: Resolve settling of existing columbaria. Remove and dispose full depth to underlying native soil, 15 . Replace caulking throughout existing columbaria. 14. Public Information Center improvements to include restroom renovations, cabinetry repairs/replacement, and removal/replacement of display case. 15. Existing committal shelter improvements to three shelters to include: a. Replace roof, gutters/downspouts, remove rust/paint columns, repoint masonry. b. Construct ADA accessible stairs leading to covered honor guard areas at two shelters. 16. Admin/Maintenance area improvements to include: a. Upgrade existing HVAC controls. b. Expand building to provide additional office space. Renovate existing spaces to create proper workflow and customer service. c. Repair/replacement of existing fuel tank. 17. Upgrade the physical security systems for the entire cemetery including the administration building and maintenance complex to meet the 1 October 2020 Physical Security and Resiliency Design Manual, revised 1 June 2023, including automatic security gate at admin/maintenance complex. 18. Grounds maintenance area improvements including removal of spoils/rubbish piles; establishment of a permanent area for grounds maintenance including gravel/select fill storage system; covered and fenced area for grounds maintenance contractor; rubbish collection area. 19. Demolish existing irrigation pumping station. 20. Correct FCA items rated D or lower. ADDITIVE ITEMS SUBJECT TO BUDGET ADEQUACY: Additive Item #1: Honor Guard Building, associated utilities, and parking with new facility meeting current NCA size standards. Additive Item #2: Satellite Public Restroom and associated utilities. Additive Item #3: Irrigation piping including the replacement of the existing mainline irrigation piping, associated sub-mainline piping, valves, and controls, and associated enabling and utilities works. Additive Item #4: 18 month compressed schedule for Admin Building Area additions and renovations. Additive Item #5: Approximately 130 Green burial plots. --- End of Project Scope --- Project Labor Agreement (PLA): A PLA is defined as a pre-hire Collective Bargaining Agreement with one or more labor organizations that establishes the terms and conditions of employment for a specific construction project and is an agreement described in 29 U.S.C. 158(f). Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 22.503 Policy: (a) Project Labor Agreement (PLA) is a tool that agencies may use to promote economy and efficiency in Federal procurement. Pursuant to Executive Order 13502, agencies are encouraged to consider requiring the use of project labor agreements in connection with large-scale construction projects. (b) An agency may, if appropriate, require that every contractor and subcontractor engaged in construction on the project agree, for that project, to negotiate or become a party to a project labor agreement with one or more labor organizations if the agency decides that the use of project labor agreements will- (1) Advance the Federal Government's interest in achieving economy and efficiency in Federal procurement, producing labor-management stability, and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations governing safety and health, equal employment opportunity, labor and employment standards, and other matters; and (2) Be consistent with law. (c) Agencies may also consider the following factors in deciding whether the use of a project labor agreement is appropriate for the construction project: (1) The project will require multiple construction contractors and/or subcontractors employing workers in multiple crafts or trades. (2) There is a shortage of skilled labor in the region in which the construction project will be sited. (3) Completion of the project will require an extended period of time. (4) Project labor agreements have been used on comparable projects undertaken by Federal, State, municipal, or private entities in the geographic area of the project. (5) A project labor agreement will promote the agency s long term program interests, such as facilitating the training of a skilled workforce to meet the agency s future construction needs. (6) Any other factors that the agency decides are appropriate. See FAR Provision: 52.222-33 Notice of Requirement for Project Labor Agreement and FAR Clause 52.222-34 Project Labor Agreement for further details. PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT (PLA) QUESTIONNAIRE (Please respond to the questions below) 1. Is your company familiar with Project Labor Agreement (PLA) and its use on construction projects? Yes/No Comments: 2. Would your company likely submit a proposal for the VA construction solicitation that requires the use of a PLA? Yes/No Comments: 3. If VA requires a PLA, would your proposed construction cost likely to increase or decrease and what is the likely percentage of cost increase or decrease? Comments: 4. Does the VA requirement to use of a PLA on a construction project restrict competition? Yes/No Comments: 5. Do you expect subcontractor resistance should VA requires the use of a PLA on this construction solicitation? Yes/No Comments: 6. Do you have additional comments regarding the use of a PLA for this project? Yes/No Comments: --- End of PLA Questionnaire --- CONTRACTOR CAPABILITY STATEMENT PACKAGE: Firms interested in submitting their capabilities for this project must include the following information compiled into a Contractor Capability Statement package: 1. Cover letter/introduction that includes company name, address, System for Award Management database at https://www.sam.gov/portal/SAM SAM.gov Unique Entity ID Numbers, point of contact with phone number and e-mail address. 2. Business size determination. State your firm s socioeconomic type and Business Size: such as (Service-Disabled Small Business, Veteran Owned Small Business, Small Business, Woman Owned Small Business, Large Business, etc.). If identifying as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) firm (or JV), Veteran Owned Small Business firm (VOSB) (or JV), you must be registered in the U.S. Small Business Administration Veterans Small Business Certification (VetCert) database at: https://veterans.certify.sba.gov. Provide evidence of certification. 3. Bonding capacity: Provide a letter from your surety, on surety letterhead that affirms your company s bonding capacity to furnish a bid bond, payment bond, and performance bond for a project between $50 - $100 Million. 4. Contractor Capability Statement shall include, but not be limited, to the following: a. Corporate Experience: Provide projects in the past five (5) years that are Valued at approximately $30M or greater in construction costs, and Demonstrate your company s experience constructing or managing the construction of projects that match the following characteristics: a. VA/NCA National Cemetery projects. (If no national cemetery experiences provide projects similar such as regional parks, multiple sport-fields complexes, or multi-phased land development projects larger than 10 acres). b. State/local/private cemetery projects. c. Projects requiring the construction of multiple features typical to a National Cemetery such as pre-cast, placed crypts; columbaria niches, memorial walls, cast or natural stone columbarium caps, cast or natural stone veneers, turf (sod) placement and maintenance, tree and shrub placement and maintenance, irrigation systems with mainlines exceeding 4-inch in diameter, irrigation central control systems, roadways, wetlands/environmental remediation or restoration. d. Building construction, building remodel, mass/fine grading & excavation, site utilities, paving, new golf courses or expansions, regional parks, multiple sport-fields complexes, or multi-phased land development projects larger than 10 acres. b. Describe your experience with as many of the elements of construction identified, below, as you can: i. Mass/fine Grading & Excavation Site Utilities Prefer to see projects involving earth work and grading for cemeteries, parks, or site development projects of at least 10 acres. ii. Site Utilities Demonstrate experience with storm water management systems and site drainage for flat sites. Demonstrate experience with potable water distribution from a well, or municipal source Demonstrate experience with sanitary waste systems, both POWTS & municipal. iii. Paving Paving projects may include private & local asphalt roads; concrete curb & gutter, asphalt parking lots, and concrete sidewalk, on site development projects of at least 10 acres. Experience in Washington or similar climates is preferred, but not required. iv. Landscaping Landscaping projects involving planting and lawn installation for cemeteries, parks, golf courses or other site development projects of at least 10 acres in climates similar to Tahoma, WA. v. Irrigation Irrigation system installation for cemetery, park, golf course, or other types of development sites of at least 10 acres. Include experience with irrigation ponds, wells, pumping systems if you have it. vi. Precast Concrete Burial Components Demonstrate experience with successful fabrication and installation of precast crypt and precast columbarium, if you have it. vii. Phasing and Continuity of Operations Demonstrate experience with best practices to successfully complete phased site work at an occupied and functioning facility in a way to minimize noise and dust and minimize detrimental effects on cemetery operations. 5. Current Project List: Provide a detailed list of ongoing contracts & projects. The description shall include: project type award amount award date estimated completion date ---- end of Contractor Capability Statement Package--- Please submit your comments to the PLA Questionnaire and the Contractor Capability Statement package via email to Athena Jackson, Contracting Officer, at contact@example.gov, no later than 1:00 PM EDT on January 22, 2024, in the subject line state Tahoma National Cemetery, Phase 3 Development and [Company Name]". Note that this mailbox will only accept e-mails of 15MB in size or smaller, so you may break your submission into multiple emails if needed. All information concerning this requirement, when it proceeds to solicitation, will be posted only on the Federal Business Opportunities website (https://SAM.gov). --- End of Sources Sought Notice ---