Active

Contract Opportunity

Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) are an official government contracting resource for small businesses. Find your local PTAC (opens in new window) for free government expertise related to contract opportunities.

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. Firms interested in submitting their capabilities for this project must include the following information compiled into a Contractor Capability Statement package.
Contractor Capability Statement Package

1. Cover letter/introduction that includes company name, address, DUNS Number, point of contact with phone number and e-mail address.

2. Business size determination and qualifying small business status, if a small business:

a. If, applicable provide evidence of Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB) or Veteran Owned Small Businesses (VOSB) status through registration at VIP (https://www.vip.vetbiz.va.gov/);
b. If, applicable provide evidence of ability to offer as a small business under NAICS Code 237990 and listing in the System for Award Management (www.SAM.gov), with representations and certifications.

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 $50,000,000 and $100,000,000.

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 over $20 Million in construction costs, and
Demonstrate your company s experience constructing or managing the construction of projects that match the following characteristics:
VA/NCA National Cemetery projects.
State/local/private cemetery projects.
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.
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:

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.
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.
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 Colorado or similar climates is preferred, but not required.
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 Denver, CO.
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.
Precast Concrete Burial Components
Demonstrate experience with successful fabrication and installation of precast crypt and precast columbarium, if you have it.
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, and estimated completion date.

6. 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). The PLA questionnaire must be filled out and returned to the Contracting Officer.

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.

Please submit Contractor Capability Statement Package via email to Marcel Parfenti, Contracting Officer at catalin.parfenti@va.gov, no later than 3:00 PM ET on November 15, 2022, in the subject line state Ft. Logan National Cemetery - Phase 1 Expansion 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 System for Award Management Contract Opportunities website (https://sam.gov/content/opportunities).

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?
Comments:

--- End of PLA Questionnaire ---

Ft. Logan National Cemetery
Phase 1 Expansion
Project Scope

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) seeks expressions of interest for a construction contract at Ft. Logan National Cemetery Phase 1 Expansion 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 $39.5 Million. The approximate project duration will be 730 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 purpose of this Phase 1A Expansion project for Ft. Logan National Cemetery is to enable the existing national cemetery to continue to provide burial services for eligible veterans in Colorado. Ft Logan National Cemetery is located near Denver, Colorado.

This project will develop approximately 15 acres of land for the Phase 1 gravesite expansion at Ft. Logan National Cemetery, providing approximately 38,546 gravesites, including both casketed and cremation sites.

This project will provide for the following elements and features:
(a) Interment Areas (Burial Sections): NOTE: Provide maximum gravesites, per category, to fully develop the respective burial section based upon environmental and topography constraints
(1) Casketed Remains:
- approximately 7,620 pre-placed crypt full casket (3 x8 ) gravesites in sections 103, 104, 105, and 109
- approximately 672 pre-placed oversized full casket (4 x10 ) gravesites in section 97
(2) Cremated Remains:
- approximately 19,694 (3 x4 ) in-ground, garden niche, or terrace sites in sections 86 through 96 and 98 through 102
- approximately 10,560 columbarium niches in columbaria 4 and 5

(b) Access Roads and Parking
(1) Construct access road to new burial areas from Omaha Drive to Denver Drive
(2) Signage and striping as required
(c) Grading, Drainage, and Landscaping throughout new Phase 1 expansion section (approximately 15 acres) and adjacent to existing road major repairs
(d) Signage and Site Furnishings for the new Phase 1 expansion area and new columbarium 4 and 5
(e) Develop utilities infrastructure required for the expansion area
(f) Extend Irrigation system into new Phase 1 burial areas
(g) Install new skidded irrigation pump house unit C
(h) Construct new wet well and adjacent retaining wall near new pump house C
(i) Provide temporary material storage bins as noted
(j) Removal/reuse of existing soil stockpile
(k) Compliance with all erosion control measures per plans and specifications
(l) Provide black vinyl chain link around new cemetery property line
(m) Obtain state/local construction permitting as required
(n) Protected Habitat Preservation, Wetlands, and Mitigation efforts as required to meet governing body mandates
(o) Construct/maintain construction yard and provide resident engineer trailer space per plans and specifications
(p) Geographic Information System (GIS) Site Integration, as per the latest NCA master specifications 11 83 00 and 11 83 02 requirements

The contract drawings and specifications include a base bid for the above requirements and three add alternates. Alternate options include:

Option 1
Repair roadway pavement on existing developed land in approximately 10 phases, ensuring burial site access is maintained throughout construction: resurface/repair existing roads, both concrete and asphalt, including curbs and storm sewer inlets, to include sections of full rehabilitation, mill/overlay, crack sealant as noted on plans. Includes landscaping, signage, erosion and traffic controls. Areas noted within the area of impact at the Veterans and Memorial dam drainageways are excluded from this option.

Option 2
Renovate/upgrade Public Information Center (PIC)/Public Restroom/Honor Guard building 1401:
(a) Provide temporary trailer space adjacent to the existing PIC structure during construction, temporarily relocate gravesite locator/visitor kiosk; connect network cabling and utilities from existing facility
(b) Replace roofs, renovate exterior and interior finishes, casework, doors, windows, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, fire alarms, hardware as required
(c) Ensure correction of all Facility Correction Deficiencies (FCA) graded as D or F within the PIC area of impact.
(d) Remove and replace service seals at PIC entrance, include new Space Force emblem

Option 3
Renovate administration/maintenance building 1301, satellite maintenance facility building 3001, and maintenance barn building 3003 to correct all FCA deficiencies graded as D or F per plans and specifications. Include corrections to any additional site-wide FCA deficiencies not associated with Building 1401, irrigation lakes, or drainageways. Complete physical security upgrades site-wide to deliver a fully operational system.
--- End ---

Please submit Contractor Capability Statement Package via email to Marcel Parfenti, Contracting Officer at catalin.parfenti@va.gov, no later than 3:00 PM ET on November 15, 2022, in the subject line state Ft. Logan National Cemetery - Phase 1 Expansion 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 System for Award Management Contract Opportunities website (https://sam.gov/content/opportunities).

--- End of Sources Sought Notice ---

Attachments/Links