1453 Retention of engineering firms

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Retention of Engineering Firms

[27 Pa.B. 4594]

Northampton County
Project Reference No. 08430AG2106

   The Department of Transportation will retain an engineering firm to perform final design and services during construction (consultation during construction and shop drawing review) for S.R. 0611, Section 01B, the replacement of the Frey's Run Bridge spanning Frey's Run, in Northampton County.

   The proposed bridge replacement is located 0.8 miles north of the Bucks County line and 6.3 miles south of the City of Easton on S.R. 0611 in Williams Township. This project on S.R. 0611, which is a two (2) lane, principle arterial highway, extends north and south through Northampton County from one thousand (1000') feet north of the S.R. 0611 and Royal Manor Road (T-418) intersection to one thousand (1000') feet south of the S.R. 0611 and Coffeetown Road (T-409) intersection. The estimated construction cost is $0.8 million.

   The selected firm will be required to perform field surveys; final roadway design; erosion and sedimentation control plans; maintenance and protection of traffic plans; right-of-way plans; coordination with utility companies; hydrologic and hydraulic analysis; roadway and structure borings; final structure/roadway design; and preparation of plans, specifications and estimates.

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

   a.  Experience in roadway and bridge design.

   b.  Ability to expedite project

   c.  Project team composition.

   d.  Past performance.

   e.  Current Workload.

   The goal for Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation in this Agreement shall be fifteen (15%) percent 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 project(s).

   The second copy of the letter of interest and required forms (see general requirements and information section) shall be sent to: Mr. Walter E. Bortree, P.E., District Engineer, Engineering District 5-0, 1713 Lehigh Street, Allentown, PA 18103, Attention: Mr. David A. Earp, P.E.

   Any technical questions concerning the requirements for this project should be directed to Mr. Donald E. Lerch, P.E., District 5-0, at [phone] or Mr. David A. Earp, P.E., District 5-0, at [phone].

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

Westmoreland County
Project Reference No. 08430AG2107

   The Department of Transportation will retain an engineering firm to perform preliminary design work for S.R. 0066, Section R10, the replacement of the existing Apollo Bridge, a 704 foot six (6) span Pony Truss structure carrying S.R. 0066 over the Kiskiminetas River connecting Westmoreland and Armstrong Counties at Apollo. The estimated construction cost is $10.5 million.

   The Department intends to use the Modified Turnkey concept for this project. The Department will advertise for a contractor to complete the design and construct the project based on the approved conceptual design.

   The selected firm will be required to define the line and grade sections; provide the conceptual design for the bridge; obtain all permits; prepare a Categorical Exclusion Evaluation; prepare a Right-of-Way Plan; perform utility coordination tasks; and provide project management.

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

   a.  Project team composition.

   b.  Project team experience.

   c.  Maintaining schedule and budget.

   d.  Past performance.

   e.  Current workload.

   The goal for Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation in this Agreement shall be fifteen (15%) percent 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 project(s).

   The second copy of the letter of interest and required forms (see general requirements and information section) shall be sent to: Mr. Jeffrey S. Thompson, P.E., Engineering District 12-0, P.O. Box 459, N. Gallatin Avenue, Extension, Uniontown, PA 15401.

   Any technical questions concerning the requirements for this project should be directed to Mr. Jeffrey S. Thompson, P.E., Engineering District 12-0, at [phone].

   Any 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 providing the above work and services are invited to submit two copies of a Letter of Interest and required information for each Project Reference Number for which the applicant wishes to be considered.

   The first copy of the Letter of Interest and required information must be submitted to:
   Mr. Charles W. Allwein, P.E., Chief
Consultant Selection Committee
7th Floor, Forum Place,
555 Walnut Street
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17101-1900

   The Letter of Interest and required information must be received within thirteen (13) calendar days of this Notice. The Deadline for receipt of a Letter of Interest at the above address is 4:30 P.M. prevailing time of the thirteenth day.

   The second copy of the letter of interest and required information must be submitted to the appropriate District Engineer/Administrator or the Bureau Director as indicated in the individual advertisement. This copy must be postmarked or delivered on or before the deadline indicated above.

   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 corporate which is permitted under the state law to engage in the practice of engineering.

   If a Joint Venture responds to a project advertisement, the Department of Transportation will not accept separate Letters of Interest from the Joint Venture constituents. A firm will not be permitted to submit on more than one (1) Joint Venture for the same Project Reference Number. Also a firm that responds to a project as a prime may not be included as a designated subcontractor to another firm that responds as a prime to the project. Multiple responses under any of the foregoing situations will cause the rejection of all responses of the firm or firms involved. The above does not preclude a firm from being set forth as a designated subcontractor to more than one (1) prime responding to the project advertisement.

   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.

   Proposing DBE firms must be certified at the time of submission of the Letter of Interest. If the selected firm fails to meet the established DBE participation goal, it shall be required to demonstrate its good faith efforts to attain the goal.

   Responses are encouraged by small firms, Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) firms, and other firms who have not previously performed work for the Department of Transportation.

   Each Letter of Interest must include the following information and the information must be packaged and presented in the following order:

   1.  Transmittal Letter (Maximum of two (2) typed pages, one side)

   The subject heading of the transmittal letter must include the project reference number for which the applicant wishes to be considered, the firm's legal name, fictitious name (if applicable), and the firm's federal identification number. If the project advertisement indicated the Department will retain an engineering firm for the project, the applicant must indicate in the body of their transmittal letter the names and Professional engineer License Number of individuals who are directing heads or employees of the firm who have responsible charge of the firm's engineering activities, and whose names and seals shall be stamped on all plans, specifications, plats, and reports issued by the firm.

   2.  Project Organization Chart (one page, one side)

   This Chart should show key staff from the prime and each subconsultant and their area of responsibility.

   3.  Standard Form 255, ''Architect-Engineer and Related Services Questionnaire for Specific Project'' (one Form 255 for the project team).

   The Standard Form 255 must be signed, dated, and 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. Under Item 4 of this form, Column A should include the number of subconsultant personnel and Column B should include the number of prime consultant personnel to be assigned to work on this project reference number.

   If a Disadvantage Business Enterprise (DBE) goal is specified for the project, the DBE must be currently certified by the Department of Transportation, and the name of the DBE and the work to be performed must be indicated in Item No. 6. If a Woman 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.

   4.  Standard Form 254, ''Architect-Engineer for Related Services Questionnaire''

   A Standard Form 254, not more than one (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, unless an acceptable Standard Form 254 for the prime and each subconsultant/subcontractor is on file in both the Bureau of Design and the Engineering District Office or Central Office Bureau identified in the individual project advertisement.

   If the Standard Form 254 is not submitted with the Letter of Interest, the transmittal letter shall indicate the dates that the Standard Forms 254 were submitted to the Bureau of Design and appropriate Engineering District/Central Office Bureau.

   These Forms shall be assembled with the prime's first, followed by the subconsultant's in the same order as they appear in Item 6 of Form 255.

   5.  Workload Projection Graph (Not required for Construction Inspection Services)

   A Workload Projection Graph for the prime and each subconsultant should indicate the firm's current and anticipated workload compared to the anticipated capacity available for the next two-year time frame. The Workload Projection Graph should be submitted for the office(s) where the work would be performed and should only include the personnel classifications required for providing the advertised services and work.

   6.  Authorization Letters (if required)

   If the advertisement requires a letter signed by individuals giving their approval to use their name in the Letter of Interest, the letters from proposed prime employees should be first, followed by subconsultant employees, in the same order as shown in Item 6 of Form 255.

   7.  Registration To Do Business

   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].

   8.  Overhead Rates (one page)

   This page must show the latest audited overhead rate developed in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) for the prime consultant and each subconsultant. If a FAR rate is not available, the latest rate available from a Certified Public Account must be indicated. New firms should indicate how long the firm has been in existence and when an audited overhead rate would be available.

   9.  Additional Information

   Additional information, not to exceed ten (10) one sided pages or five (5) double sided pages may be included at the discretion of the submitting firm.

   The assignment of the agreement/contract for the above advertisement(s) will be made to one of the firms who submitted an acceptable Letter of Interest in response to the project advertisement. The assignment will be made based on the Department's evaluation of the firm's qualification and capabilities. The Department reserves the right to reject all letters submitted, to cancel the solicitations requested under this Notice, and/or to readvertise solicitation for the work and services.

BRADLEY L. MALLORY,   
Secretary

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 97-1453. Filed for public inspection September 5, 1997, 9:00 a.m.]