USDA-NRCS - Architect and Engineering Services - REGION 6 – States of Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Minnesota

Please refer to the attached Statement of Work for a more detailed description.

2.  CONTRACT INFORMATION:  An Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity contract is anticipated in accordance with the Brooks A-E Act as implemented in FAR Subpart 36.6 and the supplements thereto.  Firm(s) will be selected for negotiation based on demonstrated competence and qualifications for the required work.  North American Industrial Classification System code is 541330, which has a size standard of $25.5 million in average annual receipts.  To be considered for award contractors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM).  Register via the SAM Internet site at https://www.sam.gov/SAM/.   

This announcement is open only to small businesses.  Limitations on subcontracting will apply as prescribed by FAR 52.219-14.

The government anticipates award of one (1) single award task order contract (SATOC) with a total capacity of $20 million.  The contract type shall be indefinite delivery-indefinite quantity, firm fixed price over a term of one (1) base year and two 2-year option periods.  There will be no specific delivery order limit except that of the contract limit.  The minimum guarantee is $2,500.00.

All responders are advised that this announcement may be revised or canceled at any time during the solicitation/synopsis response period, evaluation, selection, negotiation, and final award.  In addition, no projects are yet authorized (See FAR 52.232-18). 

Award of the contracts are anticipated for the third quarter of FY 23.  Telephonic interviews will be held with all of the most highly qualified firms.  

3.  PROJECT INFORMATION:  Work will be awarded through individual fixed price task orders.  The AE selected must have sufficient staff, flexibility, and capability to concurrently perform design and engineering work under multiple task orders for primary and other services as listed above.  

4.  LOCATION:  Various Locations in NRCS Region 6:  states of Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Minnesota.

5.  EVALUATION CRITERIA:  The following evaluation criteria are listed in order of importance: 

•    Specialized Experience and Technical Competence 
•    Professional Qualifications 
•    Past Performance 
•    Capacity to Accomplish the Work 
•    Knowledge of the Locality 

A.    Specialized Experience and Technical Competence:

Offeror must demonstrate success in appropriately addressing complex engineering services utilizing multi-disciplinary teams.  Offeror must be able to provide services ranging from pre-design plans and studies through construction management.  Highlight areas of expertise in dam assessments, watershed rehabilitation planning, watershed planning, engineering design service and other additional services as identified above.  Examples must include evidence to demonstrate the degree of complexity of work performed.  The prime firm's experience will be weighted more heavily than subcontractor's experience.  Similar projects with a higher degree of complexity will be weighted more heavily those than with a lower degree of complexity.  

Submittal requirements for this factor must be submitted under Part I, Section F, Example Projects of the SF330 form.  Submit at least one project demonstrating expertise in each of the four primary service areas: dam assessment, watershed rehabilitation planning, watershed planning, and engineering design.  No more than two projects per service area.  For each example project / contract listed in the completed SF330, the offeror may submit no more than two (2) 8 ½" x 11" pages containing narrative and/or graphic material.

Evaluation will be based on demonstration of the ability to provide a wide array of engineering and design services by the prime firm and any subcontractors or partners and their key personnel necessary to accomplish the requirements as outlined.

The more relevant and recent examples demonstrating experience in the four primary services as identified above, the higher the offeror shall be rated.  The larger the number of examples which are of work by prime and prime key personnel, the higher the rating.

The more diverse design and engineering experience in various types of geographic conditions (upland, marsh, watersheds, mountainous, etc.) and the higher degree of complexity of the projects, the higher the offeror shall be rated.

B.    Professional Qualifications:

Firm must possess professional qualifications necessary for satisfactory performance of the required services similar in nature to those required as part of this requirement.  Information shall be provided to demonstrate key personnel and other disciplines required for contract performance including professional registrations, advanced degrees and recognized designations of industry professional organizations.  Evaluation will be based upon the number of personnel; their knowledge and level of experience associated with the types of work required.

Submittal requirements for this factor shall be submitted under Part I, Section E, Resumes of Key Personnel.  The Offeror shall provide resumes for all key personnel identified for the proposed team.  Resumes shall indicate all relevant experience, professional qualifications, training, education, past performance, team experience and expected availability of each individual listed as key personnel.  Resumes shall not exceed AM#01 TWO (2) 8 ½" x 11" pages for each individual.  

Evaluation will be based on review of Part I, Section E, Resumes of Key Personnel.  The more relevant the demonstrated experience, professional qualifications, training and education; and years of experience, the more qualified the individual shall be considered for the position proposed.  The more qualified the Offeror's proposed individuals, the higher the Offeror shall be rated.

Offerors must have a minimum of one (1) professional engineer and one (1) professional land surveyor licensed in each state of Region 6. AM#02 A copy of the license must be included in the SF330 submission. The license(s) will not count toward the AM#04 200 page limit.

Higher ratings will be assigned to those offerors with more than one licensed professional engineer and professional land surveyor in each state of Region 6; those with more than 10 years experience; and demonstrated experience performing geotechnical, hydrology and hydraulic modeling, dam assessment and dam rehabilitation experience within Region 6.

C.    Past Performance:

Offerors must be able to demonstrate successful past performance on a range of projects - variety of scope, scale and complexity.  Past performance can be submitted for the prime or subcontractors.  The Offeror's role on the projects submitted must be identified.  Successful performance can be established and substantiated from the point of view of the client, professional peers, and/or project teammates.  Demonstrated success at collaborative relationships with consultants will be positively considered.  The Government has the right to use institutional knowledge when evaluating this factor. 

Past performance will be judged and considered relevant based on the satisfactory completion of current and past contracts of a similar nature to contracts contemplated under this action including scope, complexity, and dollar value.  Satisfactory past performance shall be verified by reference checks initiated through the example projects submitted under the Specialized Experience and Technical Competence evaluation factor A, and may also be established through information available in the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS), through the Past Performance Questionnaires (PPQ) provided by applicable clients upon request by Offeror, through self-provided performance recognition documentation, or through institutional knowledge.

Submittal requirements for this factor shall be submitted as attachments to the SF330 and shall include either the Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ) (see attachment) , Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) evaluations, or self-provided performance recognition.  Offerors are required to submit past performance on at least three (3) projects, but not more than 5 projects; at least three of which must for those submitted as part of Criterion A and listed in the SF330, Part I, Section F. 

Past performance is relevant information regarding an offeror's actions under previously awarded contracts.  It includes the Offeror's overall quality of and record of conforming to contract requirements and to standards of good workmanship, adherence to scope, schedule and budget, including the administrative aspects of performance; and history of reasonable and cooperative behavior and commitment to customer satisfaction, including the offeror's business-like concern for the interest of the customer.

While offerors are required to submit a minimum of 3 references, but not more than 5, the government is not required to conduct or complete reference checks on more than 3 contracts.  If more than 3 references are provided, the government reserves the right to choose which references to include in its evaluation. 

In addition to those references provided directly by the Offeror, the government may identify and analyze the past performance of the Offeror on any other relevant contract of which the Contracting Officer obtains knowledge, including but not limited to projects listed in CPARS.  Because of the wide variety of past performance history of individual Offerors, the Government is not required to ensure that an equal number of references be obtained for each Offeror.

In the case of an Offeror without a record of relevant past performance or for whom information on past performance is not available, the Offeror may not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably on past performance.  Therefore, failure of the Offeror to provide a minimum of three relevant references that meet the criteria listed above, and/or the inability of the Government to complete a minimum of three reference checks, after making a reasonable effort to do so, will result in the Offeror being rated as "neutral" on the past performance factor.

Evaluation will be based on overall past performance on contracts for similar services as judged by references who are contacted, and the references indicate that they would hire the offeror again for the same or similar services.  Documentation provided or available for review establishes satisfactory past performance on similar, relevant contracts.

The more similar the services and the better the evaluation/evaluation comments, the higher the rating.

D.    Capacity to Accomplish the Work:

This factor evaluates whether an offeror has sufficient technical resources in the various technical disciplines to accomplish the work and whether there are appropriate quality control procedures and tools available to ensure quality products and timely delivery.  

Submittal requirements for this factor include providing an organizational chart of key personnel as an attachment and indicated in Part I, Section D and Part II Architect-Engineer Qualifications-General for each firm. AM#01 Organizational Chart may be 11x17.
In addition, examples of specific project management should be submitted for no more than 3 relevant past performance projects and attached under Part I, Section H.  Each Plan submitted may also include a one-page summary outlining areas where the Plan effectively fostered goals for good project management, including schedule management, responsiveness, resource management, reporting methods, etc.

Evaluation will be based on the offeror demonstrating adequate staffing resources and the capability to perform and balance multiple task orders concurrently and to balance competing needs of multiple customers.  Submitted material should outline methods and processes the firm/team shall use to track and report project status to multiple CORs, maintain schedules and ability to deliver quality products on a timely basis.

E.    Knowledge of the Locality:

Offerors must demonstrate knowledge of the locality and the general geographic area Region 6 to successfully perform.

Submittal requirements involve fully completing Part 1, Section C to include complete addresses of proposed team, and review of Part 1, Section F Example Projects.  There are no specific additional submittal requirements for this factor.

Evaluation will be based on the location of offices and example projects within Region 6.  Offerors with one or more offices within the geographic area and/or with example projects within the geographic area with of Region 6 will receive a higher rating.

F.    Geographic Proximity: 

Criteria F is secondary criteria and will only be used as a “tie-breaker” among firms which are rated as technically equal after the interview phase of the selection process.  In the event of a tie, the firm with the most offices within the geographic area will break the tie.

6.  SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

ALL INFORMATION NEEDED FOR INTERESTED PARTIES TO SUBMIT A STANDARD FORM 330 (SF330), ARCHITECT-ENGINEER (A-E) QUALIFICATIONS IS CONTAINED HEREIN. THERE IS NO SEPARATE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) PACKAGE TO DOWNLOAD.

A-E Firms that have the capability to perform this work are invited to submit one electronic copy of Standard Form 330 Parts I and II for their proposed team, including the prime firm and all joint venture partners, subcontractors, consultants and free-lance associates, to the Contracting Officer and Contract Specialist listed below.

Offerors must provide SF330 packages as identified in the following paragraphs to be received no later than the date and time stated on the Synopsis Notice or subsequent amendment.  Requests forwarded after this date will not be considered.  No additional information shall be provided, and no faxed submittals shall be accepted. 

This is not a request for a pricing proposal.

Hard copies submissions will not be accepted.

The SF330 must include the following additional information as indicated: 

a.    Part I, C. Proposed Team, block (11): include if previously worked with subcontractor within the last 5 years, and estimated percentage involvement in this requirement;

b.    Part I, F. Example Projects Which Best Illustrate Proposed Team’s Qualifications for this Contract, block (24): include separate values for professional fee for each project identified; and

c.    Part I, H. Additional Information, block (30): shall be used to document response and information for criterion D. Capacity to Accomplish the Work, as outlined above.

The 7/2021 edition of the SF330 MUST be used.  This form and applicable continuations sheets, and can be obtained from the GSA Form Library:
https://www.gsa.gov/reference/forms?search_keyword=SF330.  .

If the prime contractor proposed subcontractors as “team members,” the “team members” shall be identified by business name and size.  In addition to the information provided in the SF330, provide the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) for each member of the proposal team.  Joint Ventures (JV), Limited Liability Companies (LLC), and Limited Partnership (LTD) shall submit the following additional documentation regarding their business entities:

a.    A copy of the legal JV, LLC or LTD agreement.

b.    A detailed statement outlining the following in terms of percentages where appropriate:

(1) The relationship of the team/partners/parties in terms of business ownership, capital contribution, profit distribution or loss sharing.
(2) The management approach in terms of who will conduct, direct, supervise, and control.
(3) The structure and decision-making responsibilities of the partners/parties in terms of who will control the manner and method of performance of work.
(4) Identify (by name and title) the personnel having the authority to legally bind the partners/parties (including authority to execute the contract documents).

c.    A list of partners/parties, to include company name, UEI number, address, point of contact, Email address, phone number and facsimile number.

In the event this written documentation is not complete at the time of the SF330 submission, the partnership or joint venture shall submit a notarized letter of intent documenting the intent to form the partnership or joint venture to act as a potential prime contractor for award of this contract and fully disclosing the company relationships.  The partnership or joint venture may (but need not) be in the form of a separate legal entity.  The partnership or joint venture need not be registered in SAM.gov at time of SF330 submission, but each partner in the partnership or joint venture must be registered at the time of submission and the partnership or joint venture must be registered in SAM.gov prior to contract award.  The documentation verifying the joint venture will not be considered as part of the page limit for SF-330 submission.

A contract awarded as a result of this request for qualification will be subject to specific provisions addressing the avoidance of organizational conflicts of interest, including 48 CFR 1309.507-2(d) Organizational Conflicts of lnterest.  The selected firm, its subsidiaries or affiliates that design or prepare specifications for a construction contract cannot provide the construction services for the same contract.  This includes concept design, which includes preparation of project programming documents for all work identified in the Scope of Services or other activities that result in identification of project scope and cost.  The prime firm and sub-consultants for this contract will be required to perform throughout the contract term.

Offerors shall prepare responses in the English language.  Responses shall be on the SF330 form and be in a narrative format.   Information presented should be organized as detail in the submittal requirements for each criteria factor above.
 
Responses shall completely and adequately address the requirements of this qualification submission request.  Offerors are reminded that elaborate corporate marketing information, formatting, special reproduction techniques, etc., are not necessary.  Failing to submit attachments or failing to complete the responses properly may result in rejection without further evaluation.  Electronic files shall be Microsoft Windows compatible.  Files shall be submitted in their native format (i.e., doc, xls, ppt, etc.), or if in pdf format, shall be in searchable text.  If the electronic files are of a size at which they must be compressed (zipped), they shall be compressed into one zipped folder.

File Size Limitations.  Offerors are advised that the file size limitation is 24MB due to
email server restrictions.  If needed, Offerors are advised to break the files down into smaller sections and deliver in separate emails.  In such cases, please divide the sections as logically as possible and be sure to clearly name the files as specified below.  The qualifications package submittal, including the SF330 Part I and II shall not exceed AM#04 200 pages in length including all attachments, subcontractor and consulting information, etc.)  The eight (8) pages of instructions are not required to be submitted as part of the SF330 and are not included in the AM#04 200 page limit. 

Qualification packages exceeding the maximum page limitations AM#03 will not be reviewed past the AM#04 200 page limit.  Cover pages, tab or divider pages will not count toward the AM#04 200-page limit.  A page is defined as one electronic page, which if printed would be legible on 8 ½ x 11 inch paper.  At least one-inch margins on all sides and minimum of 10-point font shall be used.  The SF330 form is exempt from the marking and character size limits.  Follow the instructions for completing the SF330 form.  The one-inch margin and 10-point font limits are only applicable to pages formatted by the AE firm.  Resumes in Section E and example projects in Section F shall not exceed AM#01 two-pages each. 

File Names. To ensure your submission is received and processed appropriately, it is
important that interested parties CAREFULLY ensure their electronic files adhere to the following naming convention:  Each filename shall begin with the Notice number, followed by your firm’s name, and finally a brief file description.  

EXAMPLES:

a.    “12FPC323R0007 Firm Name SF330 Part 1,A-E.pdf”
b.    “12FPC323R0007 Firm Name SF330 Part 1,D.pdf”
c.    “12FPC323R0007 Firm Name SF330 Part 1,F-G.pdf”
d.    “12FPC323R0007 Firm Name SF330 Part 1,H.pdf”
e.    “12FPC323R0007 Firm Name SF330 Part 2.pdf” 
f.    “12FPC323R0007 Firm Name PPQ.pdf”
g.    “12FPC323R0007 Firm Name CPARs.pdf”

Submission & Deadline.  

a.    Interested parties shall submit responses no later than 10:00 AM Eastern Standard time on February 13, 2023. Responses shall be emailed to:

Kimberly Tripp, Contract Specialist at [email protected]    

Laureen Eipp, Contracting Officer at [email protected]

b.    The time & date of proposal receipt will be the delivery time & date recorded of email receipt on the Government’s server.  Do not assume that electronic submission will occur instantaneously.  Offerors should time their submission with prudence by not waiting until the last day—this will allow for unexpected delays in the transmittal process and troubleshooting.  Offerors are encouraged to keep a copy of the delivery and/or read confirmation for their record but shall also request confirmation.  

c.    Submission of proposals after the deadline will be considered late and as such will be processed in accordance with FAR 15.208. 

E.  MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS  

The following are mandatory requirements:

•    Prime contractor must be a Small Business; 
•    The Prime and each partner in a partnership or joint venture must be registered and active in the System for Award Management (SAM at the time of submission); and
•    AM#03 In accordance with the FAR 36.601-4(b), the A-E firm must have at least one Professional Engineer and one Professional Land Surveyor registered/licensed in each state of Region 6.  The A-E firm must provide proof (e.g., copy of valid registration or certification certificate) of professional registration for each PE and PLS.  Failure to submit the required proof could result in a firm’s elimination from consideration.

F.  SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT

To be eligible for award, a firm must have a Unique Entity Identifier (formerly DUNS Number) and be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database, via the SAM website at https://www.sam.gov.  Central Contractor Registration and Online Representations and Certifications Applications are now available through SAM. Training tools are available on the SAM website to help you get familiar with SAM.  Start by going to https://www.sam.gov, and then click on the SAM HELP tab.  Under User Help, you will find the full User Guide as well as Quick Start Guides and Helpful Hints that will help you create an account, migrate your roles, perform updates, and search for the information you need.

Please identify the Unique Entity Identifier (formerly DUNS Number) of the office(s) performing the work in Block 4 of the SF 330, Part II.  Unique Entity Identifiers (formerly DUNS Numbers) may be obtained by contacting (866) 705-5711, or via the internet at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform.

G.  INQUIRIES  

Offerors with technical inquiries and any other questions shall submit their inquiries via email to Contract Specialist, Kim Tripp at [email protected] and Contracting Officer, Lauri Eipp at [email protected].

Offerors are requested to review the requirements in its entirety prior to submission of a new inquiry.  The Government reserves the right to decline addressing certain questions.  Further, no questions, unless in the Government’s interest, will be answered any later than 10 business days prior to the stated deadline.  It is the Offeror’s responsibility to monitor www.sam.gov  for posting of inquiries and responses.