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THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR STANDARD FORM (SF) 330'S ARCHITECT-ENGINEER QUALIFICATION PACKAGES ONLY. ALL INFORMATION NEEDED TO SUBMIT SF 330 DOCUMENTS IS CONTAINED HEREIN. NO SOLICITATION PACKAGE, TECHNICAL INFORMATION, OR BIDDER/PLAN HOLDER LIST WILL BE ISSUED. THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOT PAY, NOR REIMBURSE ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH RESPONDING TO THIS REQUEST. THE GOVERNMENT IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO AWARD A CONTRACT AS A RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.

THIS IS NOT A FULL DESIGN, UP TO 35% ONLY.

1. GENERAL INFORMATION:
Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Program Contracting Activity Central (PCAC) is seeking sources and intends to award a firm-fixed price design contract for Architect-Engineering (A-E) services for the development of complete construction documents, which include working drawings, specifications, reports and construction period services for Project # 629-335 Establish Radiation Oncology Program project located at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System in New Orleans, LA located at 2400 Canal Street.

The A-E shall provide investigative and feasibility design services, schematic design drawings, design development drawings, construction documents, final bid documents, specifications, calculations, cost estimates, narratives, bidding support services, solicitation support services, and construction period services for all facets of work and disciplines/trades to facilitate a construction project.

The A-E Services contract that is anticipated to be awarded will be procured in accordance with the Selection of Architects and Engineers Statute [formerly known as the Brooks Architect Engineer Act], Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 36.6 Architectural and Engineering Services, VA Acquisition Regulation 836.6, and VA Acquisition Manual M836.6 Architect-Engineer Services. In accordance with FAR 36.209, Construction Contracts with Architect-Engineer Firms, no contract for the construction of a project shall be awarded to the firm that designed the project or its subsidiaries or affiliates, except with the approval of the head of the agency or authorized representative.

2. PROJECT INFORMATION
This project is a 100% Set-Aside for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Concerns (SDVOSB). The NAICS Code for this procurement is 541330 Engineering Services and the annual small business size standard is $25.5M. This project requires a full design team to complete this project. The projected award date for the anticipated A-E contract is on or before September 2023.
The anticipated period of performance for completion of design is 89 calendar days after Notice of Award (NOA). The VAAR magnitude of construction is between $10,000,000 and $20,000,000.

3. A-E SELECTION PROCESS:
Firms submitting SF 330 s in response to this announcement, not later than the closing date and time specified herein and in accordance with submission requirements, will be considered for evaluation. The selection will be made as follows:
SF 330s will be evaluated in accordance with the primary selection criteria as stated in this pre-solicitation notice. These evaluations will determine the most highly qualified firms for this particular requirement. In accordance with FAR 36.602-3-(c), at least three (3) of the most highly qualified firms will then be notified of the Government s intent to hold discussions. All firms not invited to participate in discussions will be notified at this time.

Discussions will be held with the most highly qualified firms in the form determined to be most advantageous and economical by the contracting officer. This may include written responses or Microsoft Teams phone interview presentations. However, the form of discussions will be the same for all firms. The firms invited to participate in discussions will be notified by email and provided further instructions, to include any questions or topics to address. Following the completion of discussions, the firms will be evaluated and ranked for selection based on the primary and secondary selection criteria (if necessary), and the most highly qualified firm will be selected and subsequently sent the solicitation. The final evaluation and ranking will consider the SF330 submission for each firm, as well as additional information obtained via discussions.

A site visit will be authorized for the highest rated firm during the negotiation process. An award will be made as long as the negotiation of rates and hours leads to a fair and reasonable determination of the final contract price. If negotiations are not successful with the highest rated firm, the firm will be notified that negotiations have been terminated. Negotiations will then be initiated with the next highest rated firm, and so on until award can be made.
4. SELECTION CRITERIA:
Firms responding to this notice will be evaluated and ranked using the primary and secondary selection criteria listed below. The factors are listed in descending order of importance. The evaluation will consider how each factor is addressed and how it is formatted to coincide with the selection criteria.
Primary Selection Criteria:

Specialized Experience and Technical Competence (Sections F,G and H): in the design shall be provided for high cost/high tech medical equipment installation, site prep renovations, or upgrades. Project experience should include renovation in active clinical spaces, and A-E assessment and architectural schematic design of radiation therapy facilities consistent with all electrical, HVAC, and radiation shielding requirements for phased construction in active medical facilities.
The project experience should demonstrate knowledge/experience in site security and building reinforcement with respect to vehicular intrusion and hurricane hardening (Category 3 or higher); radiation shielding calculations and structural reinforcement as a result of necessary shielding including experience completing calculations associated with barrier development and type base on area type and limit doses; clinical spaces associated with expansion of key infrastructure and building elements including but not limited to data and telephone upgrading and expansion (data cable, fiber, structured cabling), electrical (distribution design, electrical upgrades, switchgear installation, uninterruptable power systems (UPS), electrical bonding), building management systems/building automation systems (BMS/BAS), HVAC (ducting in restricted/confined spaces), fire alarm and fire sprinkler expansion and installation in specialized spaces, physical security upgrades (card reader installation with fire alarm integration, camera installation expansion on existing systems, adherence to restricted access), duct bank and direct boring operations, installation of linear accelerators and/or similar equipment vaults (structural considerations and slab reinforcement), medical gas tie ins and expansion as necessary (medical air, oxygen and vacuum; area panel installation with tie in to master panel(s) at Central Energy Plant Control Room, Mechanical Shop, and Police Service Command Center(s)); renovation of existing and establishment of new Information technology spaces including but not limited to: work space, help desk, office, computer/sensitive IT equipment storage, secured storage/secured areas.

Other specialized experience includes experience in critical path scheduling, fire protection, construction, infection control protocols, energy conservation, transition, and sustainable design practices.

Submissions shall include no more and no less than five (5) recent and relevant Government and private experience projects similar in size scope and complexity, and experience with the type of projects/competence above. Relevant is defined as those task requirements identified in the Statement of Work. Recent is defined as services provided within the past 5 (five) years. Each project shall include the following:

Project title, location and detailed narrative describing the scope of services provided including the type of work performed by the offeror and its role in the project i.e., prime contract, Teaming Partner, or subcontractor
Project Owner, owner s point of contact including telephone number and email address.
Services & Deliverables provided under the contract/task order
Period of Performance, including start and completion dates
Total dollar value of the project
Contract number associated with the project.

Section G will used to evaluate the prior experience of the prime firm and any key subcontractors working together on the provided relevant projects.

The evaluation will also consider narratives addressing the following topics in Section H. Simply re-stating this list in Section H will not be sufficient. The narrative of how the firm addresses each of these will be evaluated.
The management approach
The coordination of disciplines and subcontractors
Quality control procedures, and
Familiarity with VA Design Guides/Manuals, Master Specifications, and other applicable standards.

Professional Qualifications (Sections C through E): necessary for satisfactory performance of required service. The design firm and A-E on staff representing the project or signing drawings in each discipline must be licensed to practice in any one of the United States of America. If any of the proposed design team hold an active professional license for architect, structural, mechanical, or electrical engineers in the states where these projects are planned, we will consider this a strength to this factor. Provide Professional License numbers and/or proof of Licensure. The lead designer in each discipline must be registered but does not have to be registered in the particular state where the project is located.

The evaluation shall consider the specific experience (minimum of five (5) years) and qualifications (i.e., education, training, registration, certifications, overall relevant experience, and longevity with the firm as full-time employees) of personnel proposed for assignment to the project, and their record of working together as a team when evaluating professional qualifications.

Team members must demonstrate knowledge in siting, planning, and design of shielded vaults for all radiation therapy equipment including but not limited to Linear accelerators (e.g., Varian, Elekta), Cyberknife, Gamma knife, Tomotherapy (e.g., Radixact and Halcyon), MR-Linac (e.g., ViewRay, Elekta), PET/CT simulators, and MR simulators demonstrated by past performance. Additionally, cancer center design experience and experience with renovation in active facility in which multiple phasing or domino moves are expected for execution.

Key positions and disciplines required for this project include but are not limited to:
Architect (LEED certified)
CADD Technician
Estimator
Civil Engineer
Electrical Engineer
Fire Protection Engineer
Certified Fire Protection Specialist
Mechanical and Plumbing Engineer
Project Manager
Certified Radiation Specialist/Consultant
Information Technology Configuration
Linear Accelerator Consultant
Quality Assurance Manager
Structural Engineer
Systems Engineer
Physical Security Specialist
I [signatory authority] ___________________, [company] __________________, certify that the SDVOSB prime contractor will not pay more than 50% of the amount paid by the government to the prime for contract performance to firms that are not certified SDVOSBs by the Small Business Association s Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) in compliance of VA Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) 852.219-75.

The information provided in sections C through E of SF 330 will be used to evaluate this evaluation factor. Do not include this information in section H, unless it is pertinent to support the information listed in the other sections.

Capacity (Section H): The evaluation will consider the firm s ability to meet the schedule of the overall project, as well as the available capacity of key disciplines to perform the work in the required time. Provide the available capacity of key disciplines by providing current project workload, inclusive of all projects awarded by the VA during the previous 12 months and the full potential value of any current indefinite delivery contracts. Offeror shall clearly state their available capacity presenting workload percentages for the key disciplines and/or team members. Also, the offeror must provide the completion percentages and expected completion date for the VA projects awarded in the previous 12 months. The information for this factor shall be provided in Section H of the SF 330. Please ensure the capacity applies toward the team/personnel provided in the SF 330.

Past performance (section H): Past performance on contracts with Government agencies and private industry in terms of cost control, quality of work, and compliance with performance schedules.

Past performance will be evaluated for all projects provided in Section F. The Contractor Performance Assessment Rating System (CPARS) database will be reviewed to evaluate the projects that have a CPARS entry. CPARS are not required to be submitted with the SF330 submission. The contract number for the project must be submitted with each project in Section F so CPARS can be reviewed in the database.

For any project that does NOT have CPARS data available, a Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ) is required to be submitted with the SF330. The PPQ should be rated and signed by the evaluator. In the event that a firm does not receive a requested complete PPQ from an evaluator prior to the time for submission, the firm shall submit the partially completed PPQ with Section 1 and the Evaluator Information in Section 2 completed. Ensure a POC is listed with the project title/contract number. The VA will make reasonable attempts to contact the POC upon submission for PPQ completion.

Evaluations may also include additional performance related from the firm, customer inquiries, Government databases, publicly available sources, and additional projects in CPARS. The Government reserves the right to contact any POC listed on a CPARS report or PPQ.

Evaluations will consider superior performance ratings on recently completed VA projects as well as the reputation and standing of the firm and its principal officials with respect to professional performance, general management, and cooperativeness. If appropriate, the record of significant claims against the firm because of improper or incomplete architectural and engineering services may be evaluated.

Failure to provide requested data, accessible points of contact, or valid phone numbers could result in a firm being considered less qualified. All projects provided in the SF 330 must be completed by the office/branch/individual team member performing the work under this contract. The information for this factor shall be provided in Section H of the SF 330.

For PPQs, please utilize the attached PPQ document. Completed PPQs should be incorporated into the SF 330 directly. PPQs should not be submitted to the VHA PCAC directly. Any PPQs will not be counted towards the page limitations for this submission. However, any narratives provided for past performance in Section H will be counted toward the page limit.
Knowledge of the locality (section H): Knowledge of the locality, to include specific knowledge of certain local conditions or project site features, such as geological features, climatic conditions, working with and local construction methods or local laws and regulations. The information for this factor shall be provided in Section H of the SF 330.

Note that the intent of this factor is to showcase a firm s understanding of the site and locality, and NOT where the firm is located, how far away the firm/branch office is from the site, and how they would travel to the site. Information related to the firm s location shall instead be provided in Section H under Secondary Selection Criterion Factor 1, Geographic Location. See below

Experience in solicitation/ Post Award Support Services (section H): to include pre-bid site visits, review requests for information (RFI s) during the solicitation, revising specifications and drawings, consultative services post award including reviews for the 50%, 75% and 100% design documents, and review of drawings and specifications created to provide recommendations pertaining to approval/acceptance of documents.

The information for this factor shall be provided in Section H of the SF 330.

Secondary Selection Criterion*:
Geographic location. Location of the firm, as measured by the driving distance (miles) between the Offeror s principal business location and the New Orleans VAMC, 2400 Canal St., New Orleans, LA. Determination of the mileage will be based on Google Maps (https://www.google.com/maps/dir/).

* The secondary selection criterion is used as a tiebreaker, if necessary, in ranking the most highly qualified firms following the completion of discussions. The secondary selection criterion will not be applied when determining a firm s SF 330 submission.

5. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
The below information contains the instructions and format that shall be followed for the submission of the SF 330, Statement of Qualifications:
Submission Contents
Firms are required to submit two documents:
One SF330, Architect/Engineer Qualifications, and any attachments as a PDF on the SF330 form (form is available on-line at http://www.cfm.va.gov/contract/ae.asp).

One separate document containing the following information:
Cage code.
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).
Tax ID Number.
E-mail address(es) and Phone number(s) of the Primary Point(s) of Contact.
Address of firm for correspondence.
A copy of the firm s VetCert/Vendor Information Pages registration and verification

Format of Submissions
The page limitation of the SF330 PDF submission shall not exceed a total of 40 pages. This includes cover letters, title pages, section divider pages, table of contents, etc. Every page in the PDF will count toward this page limit except PPQs and Part II of the SF330.

GSA.gov provides a standard fillable SF330. The formatting of the SF330 submission shall follow that of the standard form, meaning each page shall be:
In Arial font (not variations of Arial such as Arial Narrow or Arial Nova)
Size 12 font
Single spaced (no less than 1.0 is permitted)
8.5 x11 paper (except the organizational chart in Section D as long as the organizational chart is the only item on the larger paper)
The margins must be the pre-defined margins in the form fillable SF330 on GSA.gov's website. All information must be contained between the thick black lines at the top and bottom, and the sides may not extend horizontally beyond these thick black lines.

Any pages with information that extends beyond these margins, uses a different font, uses less than single line spacing, or any pages in excess of the 40 pages that are not exempt, will be removed and will not be evaluated.

Submit ONE (1) SF 330, Statement of Qualifications, and any attachments, and ONE (1) accompanying document containing the above SDVOSB information, via email to both the Contract Specialist Jason.Schultz@va.gov and to the Contracting Officer Katherine.Gibney@va.gov

The subject line of the email shall read: SF 330 Submission; 36C77623R0119 Establish Radiation Oncology Program Design New Orleans VAMC

The SF 330 PDF shall be submitted in one email and have a file size shall be no larger than 5 MB. No hard copies will be accepted. Firms not providing the required information may not be evaluated. All information must be included in the SF 330 submission package.

Technical Questions
All questions shall be submitted to Katherine.Gibney@va.gov and Jason.Schultz@va.gov with the subject line SF330 Question - Establish Radiation Oncology Program Design New Orleans VAMC . The cutoff for question submission is 1:00 PM ET on June 23, 2023. Questions will be answered through modification to the Pre-Solicitation Notice posted to Contracting Opportunities at SAM.gov.

Submission Due Dates
All responses are due via email on or before July 12, 2023 at 1:00 PM Eastern Time.

NOTE: SF 330 submissions received after the date and time specified will not be considered. Late proposal rules per FAR 15.208 will be followed for late submittals. All emails must be received by the VA email server by 1:00 PM ET. The time will NOT be based on when firms hit Send . DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO SEND SUBMISSIONS. Errors in email address spelling or attempts at emailing timely will not recover a late submission.

Other Information
All prime firms must meet the NAICS code requirement specified in this notice. The Contracting Officer shall verify the NAICS code in VetCert through the Small Business Administration (SBA) and/or the System for Award Management (SAM). Failure to meet the NAICS code requirement may result in the rejection of the SF330 submission.

Reminder: This procurement is a 100% set-aside for SDVOSB concerns. Offers received from other than SDVOSB concerns will not be considered. All SDVOSBs must be listed as certified by the SBA Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert). Offerors must be verified and visible in the SBA VetCert database (Veteran Small Business Certification (sba.gov)) at TIME OF SUBMISSION OF SF330 s, WRITTEN RESPONSES AND TIME OF AWARD. Failure to be BOTH visible and verified at the time of SF330s, Written Responses and time of award will result in the offeror being deemed unacceptable and ineligible for award.

NOTE: As of January 1, 2023, all SDVOSBs that were previously verified by the VA Center for Verification and Evaluation (CVE) are automatically granted certification by the SBA for the remainder of the firm s eligibility period. The SBA intends to grant a one-time, one-year extension of certification to current SDVOSBs verified by the VA as of the transfer date on January 1, 2023. This additional year will be added to the existing eligibility period of a current participant. New applicants certified by SBA after January 1, 2023, will receive the standard three-year certification period. The NDAA 2021 grants a one-year grace period for self-certified SDVOSBs until January 1, 2024. During the grace period, self-certified businesses have one year to file an application for SDVOSB certification and may continue to rely on their self-certification to compete for non-VA SDVOSB set-aside contracts. Self-certified SDVOSBs that apply before January 1, 2024, will maintain their eligibility through the expiration of the grace period until SBA issues a final eligibility decision.
All Joint Ventures must be SBA verified at time of submission and submit agreements that comply with 13CFR 125.15 prior to contract award.

It is the offeror s responsibility to check the Contract Opportunities website at: https://www.sam.gov/ for any revisions to this announcement prior to submission of SF 330s.

LIST OF ATTACHMENTS
AE Design SOW FINAL

Attachments/Links