USDA, Office of Operations, Procurement Division, AECT, Rm. 1515 South Building, 14th & Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250

C -- SOUTH BUILDING MODERNIZATION SOL RFP-00-96-R-403 DUE 070296 POC Contact Clyde Lohere, 202-720-3009 The Department of Agriculture (USDA), Office of Operations (OO), is considering AE Firms to provide AE Services for the modernization of the 2.2 million gross square foot Agriculture South Building to eliminate health and life safety hazards; replace deteriorating, inadequate, and inefficient mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems; accommodate modern office technology; improve space utilization through effective space planning; restore and preserve the architectural fabric of the building; and consolidate USDA agencies into each modernization phase as the project proceeds. The Agriculture South Building, constructed between 1930 and 1936, provides space for over 6000 USDA headquarters personnel and is located adjacent to the National Mall on Independence Avenue between 12th and 14th Streets, S.W. It is a (6) story steel frame building, with a basement, sub-basement and attic, consisting of (7) wings with a headhouse and tailhouse and (6) courtyards. At this time, the modernization process is being planned to consist of at least eight phases of building renovation, with a total construction cost estimated between $150 and $180 million. The construction funding expected to be available for Wings 3 and 4 is approximately $36 million, depending on Congressional approval. The building will remain occupied, except the phase area under construction. The design must ensure that operation and safety of occupied portions of the building are maintained throughout the modernization program. This contract will include the total Concept Design Phase in which the architect and engineer (AE) design team shall develop architectural and engineering analyses and evaluations, concept design drawings, calculations, specifications and cost estimates to develop the detailed modernization plan and concept design for the entire building. The numerous relevant studies and plans developed by the Government over the past ten years will be provided to the selected AE Team as the basis for analysis and design. The contract will also include the complete design through construction documents of the modernization of Wings 3 and 4, with construction phase services for this work. The contract will also include space planning services for both the Conceptual Design Phase and for the full design and tenant build-out for Wings 3 and 4. Move coordination services for the moving of tenants to temporary relocation space and for the final move of tenants into newly modernized space in Wings 3 and 4 is also planned as part of this contract. The Architect-Engineer design team shall appoint an overall project manager (OPM), a principal of the firm, who shall provide all necessary contact and project representation for the successful accomplishment of the work. In addition each discipline shall be assigned one lead project manager that shall be responsible for coordinating his/her discipline with the other trades. The project managers shall be thoroughly familiar with all requirements of the work and the cost limitations of the project. Only one project manager shall be assigned for the duration of the project work. Alternate project managers should be listed. The project managers shall be identified in the A/E s SF 254's and SF 255. The AE design team shall be registered in the District of Columbia.Design and construction contract documents for Wings 3 and 4 of the modernization are required to be completed by May 30, 1997. Award of this AE contract is planned by September 30, 1996. The AE services shall be procured through a two stage evaluation process in accordance with the Brooks Act: Stage I - Slate Selection, and Stage II - Interviews. The AE design team selected based on the government's evaluation will be requested to provide a fee proposal based upon the Request for Proposals that will be provided to the AE after final selection. Any contract that may be awarded as a result of this procurement action will be a negotiated firm fixed price contract. The evaluation factors for selection are listed below in descending order of importance: A. Recent (construction and occupancy within the last ten (10) years) specialized experience of the proposed AE Team firms (prime and consultants) in design and construction of major renovations of comparable complexity (minimum $20 million construction cost or 200,000 gross square feet) in existing office-type buildings. Include a description of a minimum of five (5) comparable projects, with narratives, photographs, and reduced plans in 8 =AB inch x 11 inch format which demonstrate the quality= of the prior experience.=20 Narratives shall be concise and not exceed two pages for each example project. Office-type buildings may include hospitals, educational facilities, or similar structures whose primary purpose is to house people in a living or working environment. Experience in the following areas will be evaluated based on the presentation of the example projects submitted: (1) Phasing requiring continuity of operation of an occupied building; (2) Federal contract experience; (3) HVAC and plumbing systems; (4) electrical systems and lighting; (5) life safety and fire protection; (6) environmental health and safety such as PCB's, asbestos, and lead abatement; (7) architectural repairs and alterations and space planning; (8) energy and water conservation; (9) preservation of historic buildings; (10) structural engineering; (11) construction administration; (12) telecommunications; (13) security; (14) tenant relocation services. Identify role of each member firm of the proposed AE Team (prime and consultants) in the example projects. B. Professional qualifications and experience of the proposed key staff and consultant personnel, including professional registration, technical skills, design and construction project experience and project management skills. Key personnel include the lead mechanical and fire protection engineers, electrical engineers, architects, interior designers, space planners, historic architects, construction inspector, project manager, structural engineers and telecommunications, security, elevator and estimating consultants. Submit the name of the key individuals from each firm proposed for this project with a description of their roles, extent of availability and corporate commitment to this project. Provide a summary sheet which identifies key personnel roles in the project examples under Factor A, if any. C. Past performance on contracts with Government agencies and/or private industry, including the firm's ability to produce a well organized, accurate, and fully coordinated set of contract documents, as evidenced by the quality of the firm's design work and record of design-related change orders, and the firm's ability to maintain control of costs and schedules. Provide the name and phone number of two client references for each of the minimum of five (5) completed project examples, including the owner's project manager and the contracting officer, if a government contract, and data to substantiate record of costs from budget through design, bid amount, change orders and final construction costs, and the record of compliance with performance schedules.D.Capability of the AE Team to accomplish the work in the required time, while maintaining a high level of design excellence, based on sufficient staffing and facilities, the firm's present and projected workload and emphasis on this contract, and the offeror's approach to managing the project. An organizational chart demonstrating the roles and responsibilities of the AE Team key personnel and lines of authority should be provided. E. Experience of AE Design Team (firms and key personnel) working together. F. Ability of the offeror to perform computer - assisted design compatible with AutoCAD Version 12.1 (or higher). G. The ability of the offeror to perform all design work in metric units of measurement. H. Extent of participation of small, small disadvantaged and small women-owned businesses on the proposed AE Team. The recommended goals for participation are 20 percent for small business, 10 percent for small disadvantaged business and 3 percent for small business/women-owned, measured as a percentage of the estimated effort. Both small and large businesses will be evaluated against this factor. An acceptable Subcontracting Plan reflecting the offeror's proposed AE Team shall be submitted by all large businesses after selection of the AE Team and must be approved prior to contract award.=20 The contracting officer (CO) will enter into negotiations with the most preferred firm as chosen by the Selection Authority in the final selection. This firm will be issued a solicitation that identifies the government's requirements for this procurement action and will be given a proposal due date for the submission of their proposal. Upon completion of negotiations the Contracting Officer will request the Best and Final Offer (BAFO) for this firm. If the Contracting Officer cannot determine that the prices offered are fair and reasonable then the CO will notify the firm that negotiations have been terminated. The contracting officer will than initiate negotiations with the next firm on the final selection list. This process will continue until a contract has been negotiated. The AE Team must respond to the above evaluation factors in Block 10 of the AE's SF 255. The AE Design Team MUST have or MUST ESTABLISH within 30 days after the award of the contract, an active production office within 50 mile radius of the United States Capital Building in Washington, D.C. The government will not allow payment for travel, living expenses, computer time or hookups for the prime or the consultants. In developing the project team required, AE Firms are advised that at least 65% of the level of contract effort must be performed in the Washington, D.C. Area, excluding speciality consultants. If the ''AE Design Firm'' is comprised of a partnership, corporation, joint venture or other legal entity permitted by law to practice architecture or engineering, a complete description of the proposed internal responsibilities of the components must be included in the Stage I submittal. Firms or joint ventures having the capabilities to perform the services described in this announcement are invited to respond by submitting current (within 12 months of the date of this announcement), completed and signed SF 254's (for firm/joint venture and consultants) and a SF 255 along with a letter of interest identifying the contract by solicitation number to the Contracting Officer by 10:00 A.m., local time on June 21, 1996. In Block 8 of the SF 254 specify only current W-2 payroll personnel of each firm. Contract employees shall be indicated in Block 6 of the SF 255 as consultants. Also include in Block 10 of the SF 255, as the last entry, the following CERTIFICATION, ''I hereby certify that all personnel listed on the SF 254 for each firm (or joint venture) and consultants listed for this project are current W-2 payroll personnel of the listing firms.'' This is not a Request for Proposal. (0143)

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