306 Retention of engineering firms

Retention of Engineering Firms

[26 Pa.B. 949]

Allegheny and Lawrence Counties
Reference No. 08430AG1981

   The Department of Transportation will retain an engineering firm to perform routine NBIS inspections for 35 State-owned fracture critical structures in Allegheny and Lawrence Counties. These structures consist of one two-girder, five steel arch, ten truss, 15 steel I-beam, two tunnels and two concrete arch bridges. Structure lengths range from 147 feet to 5,920 feet.

   The selected engineering firm will inspect the 35 bridges twice over a 4-year period, providing updated inspection reports and load rating analyses (where directed). The reports will include an inspection summary, field inspection Form D-488F, updated BMS coding sheets, recommendations and an analysis summary for H, HS and ML80 loadings.

   Technical questions concerning the requirements for this project should be directed to Joel Bowman, P.E., District 11-0, at [phone].

   Questions concerning the submittal of the letter of interest can be directed to the Consultant Agreement Division at [phone].

Allegheny and Beaver Counties
Reference No. 08430AG1982

   The Department of Transportation will retain an engineering firm to perform routine NBIS inspections for 35 State-owned fracture critical structures in Allegheny and Beaver Counties. These structures consist of three two-girder, two steel arch, eight truss, four welded box, one concrete arch, and 17 steel I-beam bridges. Structure lengths range from 313 feet to 2,421 feet.

   The selected engineering firm will inspect the 35 bridges twice over a 4-year period, providing updated inspection reports and load rating analyses (where directed). The reports will include an inspection summary, field inspection Form D-488F, updated BMS coding sheets, recommendations and an analysis summary for H, HS and ML80 loadings.

   Technical questions concerning the requirements for this project should be directed to Joel Bowman, P.E., District 11-0, at [phone].

   Questions concerning the submittal of the letter of interest can be directed to the Consultant Agreement Division at [phone].

Delaware County
Reference No. 08430AG1983

   The Department of Transportation will retain an engineering firm to perform preliminary engineering, final design, shop drawing review and construction consultation for S. R. 9900, Section C28, P & W multi-use trail in Radnor Township, Delaware County. This project involves conversion of 2.5 miles of existing railroad right-of-way to a multi-use trail. The estimated project construction cost is $560 thousand.

   The selected firm will be required to provide the following engineering and design services: right-of-way investigation and plan, structure design, preparation of traffic control, pavement marking and signing plans, pedestrian trail plan, utility coordination and design, coordination with municipal officials and the public, preparation of final plan, specifications and estimates, and shop drawing reviews and consultation during construction.

   Firms that are currently serving, or are being considered for selection, as the municipal engineer in the municipalities listed in the project description will not be considered for this assignment. Also, firms that are under contract, or are being considered, to provide engineering services to a land developer for a site located along the project will likewise not be considered for this assignment. Firms should state in the letter of interest that they are not serving in either capacity as a municipal engineer or as a representative of a site developer. Any questions concerning this requirement should be directed to Timothy R. O'Brien, P.E., at the telephone number listed below.

   The goal for Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation in this agreement shall be 15% of the total contract price. Additional information concerning DBE participation in this agreement is contained in the General Requirements and Information section after the advertised projects.

   We encourage small firms to submit a letter of interest for this assignment.

   Technical questions concerning the requirements for this project should be directed to Timothy R. O'Brien, P.E., District 6-0, at [phone], or Michael J. Girman, III, District 6-0, at [phone].

   Questions concerning the submittal of the letter of interest can be directed to the Consultant Agreement Division at [phone].

General Requirements and Information

   Firms interested in performing any of the above services are invited to submit letters of interest to: Director, Consultant Selection Committee, Room 1118, Transportation and Safety Building, Harrisburg, PA 17120.

   A separate letter of interest and required forms must be submitted for each project for which the applicant wishes to be considered. The letter of interest and required forms must be received within 13 calendar days of this notice. The deadline for receipt of a letter of interest at the above address is 4:30 p.m. of the thirteenth day.

   If the project advertisement indicates that the Department will retain an engineering firm, letters of interest will only be accepted from individuals, firms or corporations duly authorized to engage in the practice of engineering. If an individual, firm or corporation not authorized to engage in the practice of engineering desires to submit a letter of interest, said 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.

   If a goal for Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation is established for an advertised project, firms expressing interest in the project must agree to ensure that Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) firms as defined in the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 and currently certified by the Department of Transportation shall have the maximum opportunity to participate in any subcontracting or furnishing supplies or services approved under Form 442, Section 1.10(a). The act requires that firms owned and controlled by women (WBEs) be included, as a presumptive group, within the definition of Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE). The goal for DBE participation shall be as stated in the individual project advertisement. Responding firms shall make good faith efforts to meet the DBE goal using DBEs (as they were defined prior to the act), WBEs or combinations thereof. Proposed DBE firms must be certified at the time of submission of the letter of interest. If the selected firm fails to meet the goal established, it shall be required to demonstrate its good faith efforts to attain the goal. Failure to meet the goal and to demonstrate good faith efforts may result in being barred from Department contracts in the future.

   Responses are encouraged by small engineering firms, disadvantaged business enterprise engineering firms and other engineering firms who have not previously performed work for the Department of Transportation.

   Each letter of interest must include in the heading, the firm's Federal Identification Number and the Project Reference Number indicated in the advertisement. The letter of interest must also include the following:

   1.  Standard Form 255, ''Architect-Engineer and Related Services Questionnaire for Specific Project.''

   2.  Standard Form 254, ''Architect-Engineer and Related Services Questionnaire'' not more than 1 year old as of the date of this advertisement, must accompany each letter of interest for the firm, each party to a joint venture and for each subconsultant the firm or joint venture is proposing to use for the performance of professional services regardless of whether the subconsultant is an individual, a college professor or a company. Please disregard the statements on Standard Form 255 that indicate a Standard Form 254 is only required if not already on file with the contracting office. The Department does not maintain a file for Standard Form 254 for contracting purposes; therefore, this Form is required for the prime consultant and each subconsultant as stated above.

   3.  Two copies of the Department's Form D-427 (Rev. 6-89), ''Current Workload'' for the firm submitting the letter of interest. At least one copy of Form D-427 must remain free and not bound in any way to any other portion of the letter of interest or accompanying documentation. Copies of Form D-427 are available upon request from the above address or by contacting the Department's Consultant Agreement Division at [phone].

   4.  Firms with out-of-State headquarters or corporations not incorporated in Pennsylvania must include with each letter of interest a copy of their registration to do business in the Commonwealth as provided by the Department of State. Firms who are not registered to do business in Pennsylvania at the time of this advertisement must document that they have applied for registration to the Department of State, Corporation Bureau. The telephone number for the Corporation Bureau is [phone] or [phone].

   The Standard Form 255 must be filled out in its entirety including Item No. 6 listing the proposed subconsultants and the type of work or service they will perform on the project. If a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) goal is specified for the project, the DBE must be presently certified by the Department of Transportation, and the name of the firm and the work to be performed must be indicated in Item 6. If a Women Business Enterprise (WBE) firm is substituted for the DBE, the WBE firm must also be presently certified by the Department of Transportation and indicated in Item 6.

   The Standard Form 254 must be signed and dated and must be less than 1 year old as of the date of this advertisement. A Standard Form must accompany each letter of interest for the firm submitting the letter of interest, each party to a joint venture, and for each subconsultant shown under Item 6 of the Standard Form 255.

   Unless other factors are identified under the individual project reference number, the following factors, listed in their order of importance, will be considered by the Committee during their evaluation of the firms submitting letters of interest:

   a.  Specialized experience and technical competence of firm.

   b.  Past record of performance with respect to cost control, work quality, and ability to meet schedules. The specific experience of individuals who constitute the firms shall be considered.

   c.  Current workload and capacity of firm to perform the work within the time limitations.

   d.  Location of consultant.

   e.  Special requirements of the project.

   f.  Other factors, if any, specific to the project.

   The Department currently limits its participation in the remuneration of principals or consultant employes performing work on projects to $72,800 per annum or $35 per hour or their actual audited remuneration, whichever is less. The Department currently limits its participation in the consultant's indirect payroll costs (overhead) on design and miscellaneous projects to 130% of the direct payroll cost or the consultant's actual audited overhead rate, whichever is less. The Department currently limits its participation in the consultant's indirect payroll costs (overhead) on construction inspection projects to 85.2% of the direct payroll cost or the consultant's actual audited overhead rate, whichever is less. The Department's limitations will apply to the projects advertised above unless the Department policy is revised prior to the negotiation of an agreement or contract.

   The assignment of the above services will be made to one of the firms responding to this notice, but the Committee reserves the right to reject all letters of interest submitted, to cancel the solicitations requested under this notice, and/or to readvertise solicitation for these services.

BRADLEY L. MALLORY,   
Secretary

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 96-306. Filed for public inspection March 1, 1996, 9:00 a.m.]