DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES Retention of an Engineering/Construction Management Firm [32 Pa.B. 2238] Project Reference No. FDC-500-280 The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (Department) will retain an engineering firm or construction management firm for a contract to perform construction inspection services on various projects located in State forests and State parks throughout this Commonwealth. The contract will include inspection of construction activities primarily for rehabilitation and replacement of bridges. There also may be inspection of swimming pools, sewage and water treatment systems, marinas and buildings including associated heating, plumbing and electrical work. The contract will be for a period of 1 year with a renewal option of up to 4 additional years. It is anticipated that eight construction inspectors may be required to perform the required work and services. The work will be assigned by the Department on an as needed basis.
General Requirements and Information
Firms interested in performing the required services for this project are invited to submit proposals to Eugene J. Comoss, P. E., Director, Bureau of Facility Design and Construction, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, P. O. Box 8451, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8451. Proposals can be delivered to the 8th Floor, Rachel Carson State Office Building, 400 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA. Questions concerning the services described in this notice may be directed to J. Michael Bielo, Chief, Division of Field Engineering at (717) 787-3217.
The proposal must include the firm's Federal identification number and the project reference number. The proposal shall also include a description of the firm's recent construction inspection experience. The description shall include the client's contact persons, phone numbers and the actual construction cost of the work which the firm inspected. Excessive information will not be evaluated and may be cause for rejection.
A standard Department of General Services (DGS) Form 150-ASP must accompany the proposal and shall indicate the individual in charge of the firm's construction management operations. Form 150-ASP is available by downloading it from the DGS website at http://www.dgs.state.pa.us/cnprs.htm. Form 150-ASP may also be obtained in hard copy or on disk (in Word 97 format only). Written request for hard copy or disk should be addressed to Selections Committee, Department of General Services, Room 104, 18th and Herr Streets, Harrisburg, PA 17125. In addition, Form 150-ASP can be obtained via e-mail by addressing a request to pbianchi@exec.gsinc.state.pa.us.
Travel and subsistence payment will be in accordance with the Commonwealth's Travel and Subsistence Reimbursement Rules and Regulations. Miscellaneous expenses such as printing and mailing shall be reimbursed at cost, upon approval by the Department. Travel time to and from project sites will not be a reimbursable item.
This contract will be for a 1 year period, with an option to renew up to 4 additional years. The extent of work for the 2nd--5th years will be dependent on the availability of additional funds and additional projects.
Information Concerning Socially and Economically Restricted Businesses (SERBs)
The Commonwealth strongly encourages the submission of proposals by SERBs.
To achieve the objective of enhancing SERB participation, the Commonwealth has established SERB utilization as a selection criterion in the evaluation process.
The Bureau of Contract Administration and Business Development (BCABD) will evaluate the aforementioned criterion and will assign a point value to be considered within the overall request for proposal total point tabulation.
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 small businesses whose economic growth and development have been restricted based on social and economic bias. These small businesses are BCABD certified minority and women-owned businesses, and businesses whose development has been impeded because their primary or headquarters facilities are physically located in areas designated by the Commonwealth as being Designated Enterprise Zones. A small business will not be considered socially/economically restricted if it has gross annual revenues exceeding $4 million, is dominant in its field of operation or employs more than 50 persons.
A company and its affiliates have achieved success and are graduated from this Commonwealth-sponsored program when their gross revenue exceeds $4 million annually. Other small business in which an owner of a graduated firm has a financial interest or over which an owner of a graduated firm has control, either directly or through family members, will not qualify for SERB status. Control is defined as the power, whether or not exercised, to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a firm, whether through the ownership of voting shares, by contract or otherwise, or through the making of day-do-day as well as major decisions in matters of policy, management and operations. A determination of control shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following factors: capital investment and all other financial, property acquisition, contract negotiation and legal matters; officer-director-employee selection and comprehensive hiring; operating responsibility; cost-control matters; income and dividend matters; financial transactions; and rights of other shareholders or joint partners.
Proposers seeking to identify SERBs for joint venture and subcontracting opportunities are encouraged to contact Department of General Services, Bureau of Contract Administration and Business Development, Room 613 North Office Building, Harrisburg, PA 17125, (717) 787-6708, fax: 717-772-0021 or the DGS website at www.dgs. state.pa.us.
Additional Information and Requirements
The firm selected will be required to attend a preconstruction conference with the Department and the construction contractor for each project. Under the direction of the Department, the selected firm will be required to keep records; document the construction work and provide site inspection to assure conformity with contract specifications; prepare current and final estimates for payment to the construction contractor; assist the Department in obtaining compliance with the labor standards, safety and accident prevention, and equal opportunity provisions of the contract; and perform other duties as required. For all bridge construction projects, the selected firm will be required to assemble all pertinent construction data into a manual and submit two copies to the Department after the completion of construction.
The inspection staff must comply at least with one of the following requirements.
1. Be certified by the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies in the field of transportation engineering technology, subfield of highway construction, at Level 2 or higher.
2. Be registered as a Professional Engineer by the Commonwealth with 1 year of bridge construction experience acceptable to the Department.
3. Be certified as an Engineer-in-Training by the Commonwealth with 2 years of bridge construction experience acceptable to the Department.
4. Hold a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering with 2 years of bridge construction experience acceptable to the Department or a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering technology with 2 years of bridge construction experience acceptable to the Department.
5. Hold an Associate Degree in civil engineering technology with 3 years of bridge construction experience acceptable to the Department.
The contract shall be based on the hours of service and qualifying expenses not exceeding the contract amount. Inspector's work will be reviewed by the engineering staff of the Bureau of Facility Design and Construction and, when acceptable, approved by the same staff.
Maximum weights for each factor have been established by the Department. The factors shown are for the guidance of the readers only and are not to be assigned quantitative weight. The following factors will be considered during the evaluation of the firm's proposal:
1. Qualifications and experience of the firm's personnel.
2. Particular capability to perform the required inspection.
3. Understanding the Department's requirements, policies and specifications.
4. Necessary staff to perform the required work.
5. SERB participation.
6. Equitable distribution of contracts.
Each proposer shall relate the proposal to the previous criteria.
Six copies of both the proposal and the required forms and a single sealed copy of the SERB information must be received no later than 4:30 p.m. on May 24, 2002. The assignment of services will be made to one or more of the firms responding to this notice. However, the Department reserves the right to reject all proposals submitted, cancel the solicitation requested under this notice and/or readvertise solicitation for this service.
The Department will not offer a debriefing session to the unsuccessful firms. The Department disclaims any liability whatsoever to its review of the proposals submitted and in formulating a recommendation for selections. Recommendations made by the Department shall be final.
JOHN C. OLIVER,
Secretary[Pa.B. Doc. No. 02-799. Filed for public inspection May 3, 2002, 9:00 a.m.]
