496 Retention of engineering firms

Retention of Engineering Firms

[26 Pa.B. 1448]

Erie County
Reference No. 08430AG1985

   The Department of Transportation will retain an engineering firm for final design, environmental mitigation and consultation during construction for S.R. 4034, Section A50, the Erie East Side Access Highway, in the City of Erie, Erie County, PA described as follows:

   Work will involve the design of a four lane, controlled access highway in an urban setting comprised of dense residential dwellings interspersed with commercial and light to medium industrial establishments. The proposed highway will parallel an active railroad line and it is anticipated that a portion of this line will require relocation to accommodate the proposed highway. Work will also involve the realignment of a portion of 6th Street (S. R. 4018) at its intersection with East Avenue. There will be extensive involvement with both underground and aerial utilities. Facilitating traffic flow with existing parallel and cross streets and maintaining a comprehen-sive public involvement effort will be important elements of the design. Environmental mitigation will include replacement of coastal zone wetlands, noise and vibration analysis and remediation of hazardous and residual waste sites. The estimated construction cost is $3.0 million.

   The selected firm will provide engineering services which will include the following tasks: field surveys and property investigations; preliminary roadway and railroad design; traffic counts; a traffic circulation study; preliminary traffic signal design; a type, size and location submission; a subsurface boring, sampling and testing program; utility coordination; noise analyses; vibration study; wetland replacement plans; hazardous waste management; preliminary and final right-of-way plans; meetings and design coordination; agency coordination and public involvement; Public Utility Commission (PUC) and railroad coordination; final roadway and railroad design; preparation of construction drawings; final traffic signal design; foundation and final structure design and drawings; preparation of final plans, specifications and estimates; development of a CPM schedule for construction activities and project management and administration. The selected firm will also be required to perform shop drawing reviews, alternatives review and provide construction consultation.

   A Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was made available for public review and comment on March 1, 1996. A public hearing is scheduled for April 11, 1996.

   This project is a candidate project for ''Design Phase Partnering.''

   Engineering firms that are currently serving, or are being considered for selection as the municipal engineer for the City of Erie 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 proposed highway as defined and recommended by the Draft Environmental Impact Statement will not be considered for this assignment. Firms are to state in their letter-of-interest that they are not serving in either capacity as a municipal engineer or as a representative of a site developer.

   The following factors, listed in order of importance, will be considered by the Department during the evaluation of the firms submitting letters-of-interest:

   a.  Specialized experience and technical competence of firm on other projects of this type and magnitude.

   b.  Past record of performance with respect to cost control, quality of work products and ability to meet schedules.

   c.  Experience and managerial ability of proposed project manager and other key staff that will be assigned to this project.

   d.  Available staffing for this assignment.

   e.  Relative size of the firm to the size of the project.

   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.

   Technical questions concerning the requirements for this project should be directed to William G. Petit, P.E., District 1-0, at [phone] or Michael L. McMullen, P.E., District 1-0, 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. 96-496. Filed for public inspection March 29, 1996, 9:00 a.m.]