Notice of Procurement (NOP) for Indefinite Delivery Contracts for Multiple Architect-Engineer Services to Support Military Engineering Planning, Design, and Construction Services, Various Locations, Japan

Contracting Office Address

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Japan District

ATTN: Contracting Division (CEPOJ-CT)

Building 250, Room 147, Camp Zama

Zama-shi, Kanagawa-ken, Japan 252-8511

Synopsis:

IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 111 OF THE MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AND VETERANS AFFAIRS APPROPRIATION ACT, (DIVISION J OF PUBLICATION L. 113-76) AND SIMILAR SECTIONS IN SUBSEQUENT MILITARY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATIONS ACTS, THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS OPEN ONLY TO UNITED STATES (U.S.) FIRMS OR TO JOINT VENTURES (JV) OF UNITED STATES AND HOST NATION (JAPAN) FIRMS.

1. DESCRIPTION / CONTRACT INFORMATION: This contract is being procured in accordance with the Brooks Architect-Engineer (A-E) Act and FAR Part 36.  Firms will be selected for negotiation based on demonstrated competence and qualifications for the required work.  Refer to EP 715-1-7 Architect Engineer Contracting in USACE for general information on the A-E selection process.  A-E services are required for multiple Indefinite-Delivery Contracts (IDCs) to support the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) construction program in Japan.  The acquisition will have a total aggregate capacity of $249 Million (M) shared amongst all awardees.  A target minimum of eight (8) individual IDCs will be awarded.  Contracts will be awarded to the most highly qualified firms.  The period of performance will be seven (7) years with a five (5) year base period and one (1) option period of two (2) years.  Services will be implemented through negotiated firm-fixed price task orders (TOs) having a magnitude of $2.5 Thousand (K) to $10M.  TO selections will be determined based on a firm’s qualifications for each specific project.  The Government reserves the right to obtain updates to an A-E Firm’s qualifications prior to issuance of each Request For Proposal (RFP) for a TO.  In the event the offeror is a JV and the JV is selected to submit a price proposal, the offeror’s price proposal must be accompanied by the original copy of the Joint Resolution of the Boards of Directors of the firms composing the JV (this information is not required as part of the Standard Form 330 (SF330) submission).  To be eligible for contract award, U.S. firms or U.S/HN JV firms must be registered and active in the U.S. Government System for Award Management (SAM). Register via the SAM Internet site at https://www.sam.gov/.  The Government can issue a Letter of Authorization to the employees of the successful firm upon their request after contract award, which entitles individual employees of the A-E firm to enter Japan to perform work on task orders issued under the contract.

2. PROJECT INFORMATION: The anticipated work will primarily support U.S. Military Construction (MILCON), Sustainment, Restoration, & Modernization (SRM), Host Nation (HN) Construction, and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programs for Department of Defense service components and support agencies within Japan.

Projects contemplated under this procurement include those that would typically support the operations and functions of U.S. military installations in Japan, including, but not limited to: administrative; training support; mission and operations; lodging; unaccompanied housing; family housing; educational; religious; sports; health and wellness; dining; storage; telecommunications; secure data operations; medical and dental; aircraft operations and maintenance; airfield runways and pavements; roadways; fuel storage and distribution; ship and waterfront operations; piers and wharfs, dredging; munitions storage; base wide utility infrastructure to include communication, power, water, gas, and sewer; and environmental mitigation.

Services and deliverables include comprehensive Design-Bid-Build (DBB) design efforts (parametric, concept, intermediate, final & backcheck design phases) to include performance of design charrettes, DD Form 1391 validation, site investigations, design analysis, design drawings, technical specifications, cost estimates, and sustainable design development (SDD); Design-Build (DB) Request for Proposal efforts to include site investigations, charrette, drawings, performance specifications, cost estimates, and SDD; Criteria Documents (i.e. Criteria Packages and Basic Criteria Packages), Master Planning Efforts, DD Form 1391 Preparation, technical studies, geotechnical and subsurface exploration, hydrology and hydraulics surveys, topographical surveys, construction phase services, building commissioning services, value engineering, construction quality assurance testing, environmental investigation, and other miscellaneous engineering services.  PROJECTS ARE LOCATED ON U.S. MILITARY OR GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN (GOJ) INSTALLATIONS THROUGHOUT JAPAN. FREQUENT SITE VISITS AS WELL AS MEETINGS IN JAPAN MAY BE REQUIRED ON A PROJECT SPECIFIC BASIS.

The estimated construction cost of facilities will range between $500K and $250M.

Technical requirements for required services shall be based on the most current U.S. DoD criteria and standards as stated in DoD Directive 4270.5. However, contract deliverables, where practicable, shall incorporate Japanese materials, products and construction methods that meet the intent of U.S. DoD criteria in order to facilitate the use of local materials, products, and construction methods. General design guidance is provided per the Japan District Design Guide Version 7.0 (February 2023). Design drawings shall be prepared using Building Information Modeling (BIM) software. Cost estimates and cost engineering products shall utilize the MCACES/MII software. Design specifications shall be prepared using the Specsintact software.

3.  SELECTION CRITERIA. For the purposes of evaluating selection criteria, the use of the term “offeror” and/or “firm” may be used interchangeably and pertains to the prime contractor(s), Joint Venture (JV) contractor(s), and all subcontractor(s) listed in the A-E Qualifications – SF330, Part I, Section C.  The Government will evaluate an offeror’s qualifications against the selection criteria based on the information presented in their SF330.  The selection criteria are listed below in descending order of importance (first by major criterion and then by sub‐criterion). Criteria (a) through (e) are primary selection criteria. Criterion (f) is considered secondary and will only be used as a “tie‐breaker” among firms that are considered technically equal. 

(a) SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE AND TECHNICAL COMPETENCE.   

Sub-criterion (1):

Experience in performing engineering services in support of U.S. MILCON and SRM projects in JAPAN as the Designer of Record (DOR) for requirements identified in paragraph 2, PROJECT INFORMATION.  Similar experience in geographical areas other than JAPAN may be considered but may be rated less favorably when comparing projects that are otherwise similar in scope, magnitude, and complexity located in JAPAN.  Demonstrate the firm’s ability to perform:

• Comprehensive DBB design efforts (parametric, concept, intermediate, final & backcheck design phases) to include performance of design charrettes, DD Form 1391 validation, site investigations, design analysis, design drawings, technical specifications, cost estimates, and sustainable design requirements;

• DB Request for Proposal efforts to include site investigations, charrette, drawings, performance specifications, cost estimates, and sustainable design requirements;

• Criteria documents (i.e. Criteria Packages and Basic Criteria Packages), master planning efforts, DD Form 1391 preparation, technical studies, geotechnical and subsurface exploration, hydrology and hydraulics surveys, topographical surveys, construction phase services, building commissioning services, value engineering, construction quality assurance testing, environmental investigation, and other miscellaneous engineering services.

While all elements of the above listed design efforts are not required, offerors that demonstrate more elements will be rated more favorably.  Emphasis will be placed on the complexity of experience, with comprehensive DBB design efforts considered the most complex and subsequent efforts listed in descending order of complexity.  Higher complexity efforts and efforts for projects located in Japan may be rated more favorably.  In addition, demonstration of prior working relationships between the prime and subcontractors, with direct involvement of the prime firm on past projects, may be rated more favorably. Incomplete projects or projects without evaluations may be rated less favorably when comparing projects that are otherwise similar in scope, magnitude, and complexity.

Sub-criterion (2):

Experience and knowledge of incorporating Japanese materials, products and construction methods into engineering deliverables to facilitate biddable, constructible, and maintainable end products.  Demonstrate the firm’s ability to consider current U.S. DoD criteria and incorporate Japanese materials, products and construction methods that satisfy the intent of the U.S. DoD criteria.  Describe the firm’s approach to facilitate the use of Japanese materials, products, and construction methods when U.S. DoD criteria and Japanese standards are not equivalent and acceptable Japanese alternatives may exist.  Demonstration of subjective research and analysis to identify suitable Japanese alternatives shall be required to support approval of Japanese acceptable alternatives through the Japan District.

Emphasis will be placed on approach AND actual examples demonstrating the incorporation of acceptable Japanese alternatives in U.S. MILCON and SRM projects. 

Sub-criterion (3):

Knowledge and capability to implement Quality Control on work products to ensure contract performance objectives are met. Demonstrate the firm’s approach to implementing Quality Control as established by Engineer Regulation (ER) 1110-3-12.  Emphasis will be placed on a firm’s Quality Control philosophy and logic of approach, including but not limited to topics such as: Identification and hierarchy of the firm or DOR, coordination between DOR and Government Project Development Team (PDT) members, and implementation of Design Quality Control Plan (DQCP), Detailed Check Reviews (DCR), and Independent Technical Reviews (ITR) during the execution process.  Identification of real world situations involving example projects are recommended and may be treated favorably.  A detailed quality control plan is not required with this submission but will be required prior to contract award from firms who are selected under this NOP.

SF330 Requirements:

SF330 requirements for sub-criterion (a)(1) and (a)(2): A maximum of 10 (ten) example projects may be submitted under SF330, Part I, Section F to demonstrate a firm’s specialized experience and technical competence related to sub-criterion (a)(1) and (a)(2).

Each example project shall be presented on a separate, numbered SF330, Part I, Section F. Example projects must be current with contract completion dates within six (6) years of the closing date for this announcement.  Ongoing projects must be beyond the intermediate design phase (65% design complete) for design preparation or the Pre-Final Report phase for report preparation as of the closing date for this announcement to be considered. For example projects that have been completed by multiple entities within the same firm (e.g. by both members of a joint venture, a subcontractor, and/or a prime contractor), identify in paragraph 25 the role and approximate level of effort (as a percentage of the total contract value) contributed by each entity of the firm relative to the total effort.

For purposes of evaluating selection criteria, the use of the term “project” means a single undertaking executed via a single-award contract or task order.  A “project” is not considered a cumulative effort of single-award contracts or task orders.  An IDC / Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract is not considered a project on its own, but a task order awarded under an IDC or IDIQ would be considered to be a single “project”.  Additional information pertaining to sub-criterion (a)(1) and (a)(2) may be provided under SF330 Part I, Section H.  The offeror may include additional example projects in SF330 Part I, Section H – but the information shall be limited to the project title, location, completion date, project owner, and project summary.

SF330 requirements for sub-criterion (a)(3): Describe the firm’s specialized experience and technical competence related to sub-criterion (a)(3). Provide relevant information under SF330 Part I, Section H.

(b) PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS.

Present a maximum of two (2) individuals for each discipline identified below.  Key personnel in each discipline shall be registered in the appropriate professional field.  Professionals shall possess current registration to practice in the United States or its territories.  Japanese professional acceptable alternatives are noted.  The Government will evaluate each individual’s education, training, registrations, certifications, overall and relevant experience, and longevity with the firm.  Emphasis will be placed on longevity with the firm and participation in the example projects provided under SF330, Part I, Section F. This criterion primarily focuses on the qualifications of the key personnel for the contract and not the quantity of personnel, which is addressed under the "capacity to accomplish the work" criterion.  

Key personnel must include at a minimum:

1) Project Manager (Registered Professional Architect or Engineer)

2) Architect

3) Certified Interior Designer.  Must have a minimum of four (4) years of experience dedicated to interior design, AND all of the following: (a) a degree in Interior Design or Interior Architecture from an accredited university, (b) have passed the National Certification of Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ).

4) Electrical Engineer

5) Communications Distribution Designer.  Qualified means Registered Communications Distribution Designer (RCDD) accredited by Building Industry Consulting Service International (BICSI) and have a current active RCCD registration.  This person shall also be a Registered Electrical Engineer

6) Mechanical Engineer

7) Civil Engineer

8) Geotechnical Engineer

9) Structural Engineer

10) Surveyor

11) Fire Protection Engineer.  Qualified means an individual who is a Registered Professional Engineer (P.E.) who has passed the fire protection engineering written examination administered by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) and has relevant fire protection engineering experience.

12) Environmental Engineer

13) CADD Manager with experience in Building Information Modeling (BIM)

14) SDD Accredited Professional. Third Party Certification Professional in the following rating systems, Guiding Principles, USGBC LEED, CASBEE. Japan District is currently serving their stakeholders with 3 certification options; professional accreditation in all three will be required to provide services to stakeholders on a variety of projects.  A single individual is not required to be an SDD Accredited Professional under Guiding Principles, USGBC LEED, and CASBEE.  Up to two (2) individuals can meet the SDD Accredited Professional requirement for the three (3) rating systems in any combination, as long as each rating system is covered by one of the individuals.

15) Commissioning Authority (CxA). Certification as a CxA from either AABC, AEE, BCxA, NEBB, TABB, ASHRAE, or University of Wisconsin-Madison; demonstrate having at least 5 years commissioning authority (CxA) oversight work as a minimum;

16) Construction Scheduler. Demonstrate at least 5 years of construction scheduling and experience in the use of P6 Primavera software.

17) Cost Estimators or Cost Engineers. Qualified means a degree in Engineering or Architecture with at least ten (10) years cost estimating experience or (15) years of cost estimating experience without a degree with specific experience in buildings / facilities. Design Team members responsible for construction cost estimating must also demonstrate prior experience in the use of MII software.

18) Certified Value Specialist. Certified as a CVS.

19) Facilitator (Role is to organize and lead group meetings involving all project stakeholders where key decisions and agreements must be made. Design charrettes and coordination meetings are common examples of meetings where Facilitators may be used).

Provided below are Japanese professional acceptable alternatives to U.S. Professional Qualifications.  These alternatives do not replace the necessity for signing and sealing contract deliverables by U.S. Registered professionals when required:

• Architect = 1st Class Kenchikushi

• Civil Engineer = 1 Kyu Dobokusekoukanrigishi w/ Registered Civil Engineering Consulting Manager (RCCM) certification

• Structural Engineer = 1st Class Kenchikushi

• Mechanical Engineer =1st Class Kenchikushi (Setsubi Sekkei); Kenchiku Setsubishi; 1st Class Sekou Kanrigishi

• Electrical Engineer =1st Class Kenchikushi (Setsubi Sekkei); Kenchiku Setsubishi; 1st Class Sekou Kanrigishi

• Communication Engineer =1st Class Kenchikushi (Setsubi Sekkei); Denki Tsushin Shunin Gijutsuya; Gijutsushi Denki Denshi Bumon

• Geotechnical Engineer = 1 Kyu Dobokusekoukanrigishi w/RCCM Doshitsu Oyobi Kiso certification

• Surveyor = Sokuryo shi

SF330 requirements for criterion (b): Resumes of key personnel shall be indicated in the SF330, Part I, Section E.  Use a separate Section E for each individual.  Clearly indicate key personnel's qualifications in block 17 of each Section E entry.  The same individual may be considered under different key personnel.

(c) PAST PERFORMANCE

Firms will be evaluated on past performance for quality of work products, compliance to project schedules, and effectiveness of management.  Emphasis will be given to evaluations for example projects presented under SF330, Part I, Section F.  Past performance evaluations will be retrieved through the Government’s Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS).  CPARS is the primary source of information on past performance.  Performance evaluations may be queried for all firms including subcontractors.  The Government may consider all past performance records and/or related documentation as available.  Any credible, documented information on past performance may be considered, but the Government is not required to seek other information on past performance if none is available through CPARS.  Complete evaluations will be reviewed if a board is considering downgrading or eliminating a firm due to adverse past performance evaluations.  (Note: Past Performance Questionnaires (PPQ) can be used to provide or supplement a firm’s past performance with other than U.S. Governmental clients.  Firms which choose to use the PPQ may obtain it by downloading it from the other documents published with this Notice of Procurement.)

NOTE: If no relevant past performance information is available to evaluate, or if the record is so sparse that no meaningful rating can be reasonably assigned, the offeror will be assigned a rating of neutral and shall not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably.

SF330 requirements for criterion (c): Provide relevant past performance information under SF330, Part I, Section H.  Emphasis will be given to CPARS performance related to the example projects presented under SF330, Part I, Section F.       

(d) KNOWLEDGE OF LOCALITIES:

Firms shall demonstrate familiarity with performing work in Japan where U.S. military installations and facilities are located.  The intent is to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the physical environment, Japanese construction methods, and construction market conditions.  Organizational approach and specific examples are relevant.  Emphasis will be on a firm’s ability to effectively support design and construction requirements in Japan through the execution of engineering solutions which result in biddable, constructible, and maintainable facilities.

SF330 requirements for criterion (d): Provide information to demonstrate knowledge of localities under SF330, Part I, Section H.

(e) CAPACITY TO ACCOMPLISH THE WORK:

The Government will consider a firm's experience with similar size projects and the available capacity of resources when evaluating the capacity of a firm to perform the assigned work in the required time.  Demonstrate the firm’s ability to accomplish multiple task orders simultaneously.  Provide the full potential value of any current DoD indefinite delivery or stand-alone contracts awarded within 12 months of NOP closing.  The value of all current indefinite delivery contracts that a firm has been awarded will be considered when evaluating capacity.

SF330 requirements for criterion (e): Provide information to demonstrate capacity to accomplish work under SF330, Part I, Section H.

(f) VOLUME OF DOD CONTRACT AWARDS:

Specify the total volume of all DoD work awarded to the firm in the last 24 months, to include prime(s) as well as significant subcontractors receiving greater than $500K in contract awards.  Include stand-alone or indefinite delivery contract (IDC) task orders issued by DoD agencies within 24 months of NOP closing.  Do not include the potential value of an IDC nor options which have not been exercised.

SF330 requirements for criterion (f): Provide requested information under SF330, Part I, Section H.

4. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS. A-E firms that meet the requirements described in this announcement are invited to submit three (3) hard copies and one (1) CD (electronic .pdf file format that is searchable) of:

(a) SF330, Part I, Sections A through I, Architect-Engineer Qualifications, Contract-Specific Qualifications for the prime A-E and all proposed sub-consultants.

(b) SF330, Part II, Architect-Engineer Qualifications, General Qualifications (the prime A-E and all proposed sub-consultants must submit current SF 330 Part II).

(c) Copy of the firms’ SAM registration to verify that the firm is eligible to compete as a local source.

The submittals must reach the specified office below no later than the response date shown above on this announcement.  It is important to allow enough time for submissions to reach the below specified office before the due date.  Facsimile submittals will not be accepted. Submissions shall be in sealed envelopes or packages (i) addressed to the office specified below and (ii) show the solicitation number and the name and address of the offeror.  Offerors using commercial carriers should ensure that the proposal is marked on the outermost wrapper with the information stated in the prior sentence.  It is in the offeror’s interest to follow up by calling the POC to inquire about receipt of their submissions, to consider utilization of door-to-door commercial carriers, and to not wait until the last minute to submit in the event that the original submission is lost, and a second submission is necessary.  Offerors choosing to use commercial or door-to-door carriers are encouraged to ask the carrier company if they have regular, unescorted access to the delivery address, as Government personnel may not be available to escort or accept deliveries at the entrance gate to the installation.  Offerors choosing to deliver packages in person shall coordinate with the POCs listed below.  Submittals shall be addressed as follows:

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Japan District

ATTN: Contracting Division (CEPOJ-CT)

Building 250, Room 147, Camp Zama

Zama-shi, Kanagawa-ken, Japan
252-8511

Submissions shall not exceed one hundred twenty (120) standard 8.5” x 11” pages.  Only numbered pages will be recognized and evaluated.  Use fonts no smaller than ten (10)-pitch.  For submissions that exceed one hundred twenty (120) pages, only the first one hundred twenty (120) pages may be considered for evaluation. The one hundred twenty (120) page limit applies to the SF330, Part I.  SF330, Part II will not count toward the page limit and the SAM record will not count toward the page limit.  CPARS reports and PPQs will not count toward the page limit. Tabs and dividers will not count toward the page limit. Solicitation packages are not provided.  This is not a request for proposal.

Any questions, requests for explanation or interpretation of this NOP must be submitted to the Government point of contacts listed below by 10:00 A.M. Japan Standard Time on 16 January 2024. 

Government points of contact at Camp Zama                 

Michael F. Morris

Contract Specialist

011-81-46-407-8834 (from U.S.)

046-407-8834 (from Japan)

[email protected]

And

Angela S. Lape

Contracting Officer

011-81-46-407-8724 (from U.S)

046-407-8724 (from Japan)

[email protected]