Retention of an Architectural or Architectural Engineering Design Firm or Firms [30 Pa.B. 405] Project Reference No. FDC-500-773 The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (Department) will retain a professional design firm or firms for open-end contracts for various building and associated engineering designs, and general CADD services. The contract or contracts will be for a 5-year period. Projects will be assigned on an as-needed basis.
Letters of Interest for these projects will only be accepted from individuals or firms or corporations duly authorized to engage in the practice of professional design. If an individual, firm, or corporation not authorized to engage in the practice of engineering desires to submit a letter of interest, the individual, firm or corporation may do so as part of a joint venture with an individual, firm or corporation which is permitted under State law to engage in the practice of engineering and/or architecture. The professional design firm may be an architectural firm with an engineering subconsultant or an architectural/engineering firm.
This firm's area of responsibility for assigned work shall be throughout the entire Commonwealth. Bureau of Facility Design and Construction personnel will do project work in conjunction with this professional design firm on some of the projects.
The services may encompass a wide range of design efforts with the possibility of several different projects being designed under short completion schedules. The firm may be required to design multiple projects at the same time.
The open-ended design services work will consist of new building architectural, mechanical, plumbing and electrical designs, tie-ins to site utilities, major maintenance repair, renovations to existing buildings and additions to existing buildings. Some of these projects may be for buildings less than 5,000 square feet in size and small in terms of project scope.
The professional design firm or firms, may be required to perform any or all of the following duties: attend site visits; prepare minutes; perform necessary field surveys; plot topography and cross sections; develop erosion control details and narrative; prepare type, size, and location report; prepare construction drawings, specifications, and estimates; procure core borings; provide soil and foundation engineering report; investigate utility involvement; and evaluate alternative using benefit/cost analysis, develop details and narratives; prepare reports; investigate utility involvement; and also, the review of shop drawings, catalog cuts, and occasional attendance at job conferences may be required. Also additional CADD services for projects designed by Department personnel may be required.
The services shall also include, but not be limited to, a preliminary meeting in the Bureau of Facility Design and Construction, 8th floor, Rachel Carson State Office Building, 400 Market Street, Harrisburg, for each project. Work may be done on an hourly basis or a maximum cost work order or a percentage of construction costs for the individual design project. Payment for services and expenses shall not exceed the contract amount. The design work will be reviewed by the architectural and engineering staff of the Bureau of Facility Design and Construction, and when acceptable, approved by the same staff.
The number of open-end contracts shall be at the discretion of the Department and the dollar amount of each contract shall be approximately $400,000 for the first year. The extent of the work for the subsequent 4 years of the contract will be dependent on the availability of additional funds and additional projects for those years, also at the discretion of the Department.
Commitment to Enhance Socially/Economically Restricted Businesses (SERB).
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania strongly encourages the submission of proposals by Socially/Economically Restricted Business (SERB).
To achieve the objective of enhancing SERB participation, the Commonwealth has established SERB utilization as selection criteria in the evaluation process.
The Bureau of Contract Administration and Business Development (BCABD), Department of General Services, will evaluate the aforementioned criteria and will design a point value to be considered within the overall RFP total point tabulation.
Proposers not considered to be socially/economically restricted businesses seeking to identify the businesses for joint venture and subcontracting opportunities are encouraged to contact Department of General Services, Office of Minority and Women Business Enterprise, Room 502, North Office Building, Harrisburg, PA 17125, (717) 787-7380.
Proposals submitted by individuals claiming SERB status or proposals submitted by individuals reflecting joint venture and subcontracting opportunities with SERBs must submit documentation verifying their claim.
SERBs are businesses whose economic growth and development has been restricted based on social and economic bias. These businesses are BCABD certified minority and women owned businesses and certain restricted businesses whose development has been impeded because their primary or headquarter facility is physically located in an area designated by the socially/economically restricted if one of the conditions listed exists:
1. The business has gross revenues exceeding $4,000,000 annually.
2. The concentration of an industry is such that more than 50% of the market is controlled by the same type of SERB Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Women Business Enterprise (WBE) or businesses within designated enterprise zones.
Proposers not considered being socially/economically-restricted businesses seeking to identify such businesses for joint venture and subcontracting opportunities are encouraged to contact the Department of General Services, Bureau of Contract Administration & Business Development, Room 502 North Office Building, Harrisburg, PA 17125, (717) 787-7380, fax (717) 787-7052.
SERB Information
SERBs are encouraged to participate as prime proposers. SERBs qualifying as an MBE/WBE must provide their BCABD certification number. SERBs qualifying as a result of being located in a designated enterprise zone must provide proof of this status. Proposers not considered being SERBs must describe, in narrative form, their company's approach to enhance SERB utilization on a professional level in the implementation of this proposal. The following options will be considered as part of the final criteria for selection:
Priority Rank 1. Proposals submitted by SERBs.
Priority Rank 2. Proposals submitted from a joint venture with a Commonwealth approved SERB as a joint venture partner.
Priority Rank 3. Proposals submitted with subcontracting commitments to SERBs.
Each proposal will be rated for its approach to enhancing the utilization of SERB. The optional approach used will be evaluated with option number 1 receiving the greatest value and the succeeding options receiving a value in accordance with the previously-listed priority ranking. The selected contractor's SERB commitment amount will be included as a contractual obligation when a contract is entered into. One copy of the SERB information with the percent designated for SERB commitment shall be submitted in a separate sealed envelope, clearly marked. The information will be evaluated by the Department of General Services.
General Requirements and Information
Firms interested in performing the required services for the project are invited to submit Letters of Interest to Eugene J. Comoss, P.E., Director, Bureau of Facility Design and Construction, Rachel Carson State Office Building, 8th Floor, 400 Market Street, P. O. Box 8451, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8451. Contact James Eppley or David Kyper at (717) 787-7398 for general information concerning the design work.
Each Letter of Interest must include the firm's federal identification number and the project reference number. The Letter of Interest shall also include a description of the firm's three most recently completed projects similar to the project proposed. The description shall include the client, contact person, phone number, the estimated or actual construction cost of the portion of the work which the firm designed, the project manager and the names of all personnel who made major contributions to the project. The Letter of Interest shall indicate the firm's capability of working on multiple small projects at the same time and understanding of the Department's needs. A standard new 1999 DGS Form 150-ASP must accompany the Letter of Interest and shall indicate the individual in charge. Additional information pertinent to the firm's qualifications to do the work of this contract may be included. Direct costs other than payroll, such as travel and subsistence, shall be based on the current state rates. The Department shall reimburse miscellaneous expenses such as copies, prints, sepias, postage and film at cost upon approval.
The following factors will be considered during the evaluation of the firm's Letter of Interest:
Criteria evaluated by the Technical review will include:
Professional's understanding of the problem as demonstrated in Letter of Interest, and as stated in their own interpretation of the tasks to be performed.
Qualifications of firm.
Professional personnel in firm.
Soundness of approach as demonstrated in Letter of Interest, including the firm's description of prompt responsiveness to design questions, shop drawings, and construction questions.
Geographic proximity of the professional to the facility or study area.
Available manpower to perform the services required.
SERB participation. (Evaluated by DGS)
Equitable distribution of the contracts.
Each proposer shall relate their proposal to the noted criteria.
Six copies of the Letter of Interest, six copies of the required forms and one copy of the SERB information must be received no later than 2 p.m. on February 29, 2000. The six copies shall be submitted in six complete sets that shall be spiral bound or in folders or secured by binder clips. The assignment and services will be made to one of the firms responding to this notice. However, the Department reserves the right to reject all Letters of Interest submitted, cancel the solicitation requested under this notice and/or re-advertise solicitation for this service.
The Department will offer a debriefing session to the unsuccessful firms. The Department disclaims any liability whatsoever to its review of the proposal submitted and in formulating a recommendation for selections. Recommendations made by the Department shall be final.
JOHN C. OLIVER,
Secretary[Pa.B. Doc. No. 00-134. Filed for public inspection January 21, 2000, 9:00 a.m.]
