Solicitation Number:

F08SOL00047

Notice Type:

Combined Synopsis/Solicitation

Synopsis:

1. CONTRACT INFORMATION:



Continuing a legacy of outstanding museum architecture, the Smithsonian Institution ( Smithsonian ) seeks to commission our nation s most talented designers to design a facility of quality and value for the National Museum of African American History and Culture ( NMAAHC ). This commission will demonstrate the value of a true integrated design that balances aesthetics, cost, constructability, and reliability; while simultaneously creating an environmentally responsible and superior place for staff and visitors.



Consequently, the Smithsonian desires to select an architectural and engineering firm ( A/E ) to provide architectural, engineering, planning and design support services for the Smithsonian s new National Museum of African American History and Culture. This procurement is conducted in accordance with the Brooks Architect-Engineer Act, as implemented by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Subpart 36.6, refer to Numbered Note 24 on FedBizOpps.com, and includes a conceptual design competition for selected firms. The North American Industry Classification Code (NAICS) for this procurement is 541310. This announcement is open to all businesses regardless of size. The contract awarded will be firm-fixed-price. Minority, Small business, Small disadvantaged business, Women-owned small business, Hub-zone small business, Veteran owned small business and Service Disabled Veteran owned firms are strongly encouraged to apply.



2. NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE:



The National Museum of African American History and Culture Act - Public law 108-184, signed by President Bush on December 16, 2003, established the National Museum of African American History and Culture, as the newest museum within the Smithsonian. NMAAHC is the national museum for the study and exposition of African American history and culture. Its primary purposes are to acquire, maintain and preserve objects which document social, cultural, political, military, technological and scientific developments in the United States; to conduct scholarly research designed to make significant contributions to the body of knowledge in the fields of African American history; to publish findings for both scholarly and general audiences; and to interpret historical developments through public exhibitions and programs.



In January of 2006, the Smithsonian Board of Regents selected a site for the new building from one of four alternatives. The site, located on the National Mall and the Washington Monument grounds, is bounded by Constitution Avenue and Madison Drive, between 14th and 15th Streets, NW. The National Mall and the Washington Monument are both listed on the National Register of Historic Places.



The National Park Service transferred administrative control of this symbolic, historic and prominent federal government owned site to the Smithsonian in June of 2007. Tier I of the National Environmental Policy Act ( NEPA ) Environmental Impact Statement ( EIS ) is underway and scheduled for completion in the summer of 2008. Concurrent Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act ( NHPA ) historic preservation review is also underway. Tier II NEPA and the continued administration of the Section 106 NHPA review is expected to be completed at the end of the design phase. Finally, the NMAAHC programming effort is also underway and scheduled for completion in the fall of 2008.



NMAAHC will be approximately 350,000 square feet; and it is anticipated that A/E will have a maximum of three years to complete the NMAAHC design. During this period, the A/E will also participate in the final approval process and produce an early release package for site development.



3. SUBCONTRACTING PLAN REQUIREMENTS:



A/E must submit a subcontracting plan consistent with PL 95-507, PL 99-661 and PL 100-656 with the final fee proposal. A/E must demonstrate a good-faith effort to comply with the following minimum subcontracting goals: (i) A minimum of 35% of the total planned subcontracting dollars shall be placed with small business concerns; (ii) At least 15% of total planned subcontracting dollars shall be placed with Small disadvantaged businesses (SDB), including Historically Black Colleges and Universities or Minority Institutions; (iii) 8% with Women-owned small businesses (WOSB); (iv) 3% shall be placed with Hub-zone Small Businesses (HubSB); (v) 3% with Veteran-owned small businesses (VOSB); and (vi) 3% with Service Disabled Veteran-owned small businesses (SDV). The subcontracting plan is not required with your SF- 330 submission.



4. SERVICES:



Objective: To provide design services in an integrated project delivery approach with a CM- at Risk, in preparation for the construction and operation of NMAAHC. The information

developed by A/E, along with information developed by others, will inform the construction

process and be used as the primary set of standards by which the facility s design,

construction and operating performance will be evaluated.



Summary of Services: Planning services (including Tier II EIS and Section 106 Historic

Resource Protection consultations); Architectural services ; Landscape Architecture;

Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing; Fire Protection/Life Safety Engineering; Security;

Structural Engineering; Civil Engineering; Geotechnical Engineering; Cost Estimating;

Construction Phase Support services; Project Management (including preparation of a

detailed task and resource schedule within two weeks of the notice to proceed, and

preparation of a schematic work plan); Commissioning; Project Close-out; Attending and

participating in frequent on-site meetings in Washington, D. C. (often at a moment s notice);

Support in obtaining project approvals by local authorities; Site visits; and all other services

described herein and in the subsequent Request for Proposals issued by Smithsonian

(collectively Services ) including:



A. Conceptualization or Expanded Programming: Performance goals (size,

sustainable criteria, economic performance based on building life span including

operation, outcome metrics); cost structure (tied to Building Information Model,

detailed by systems, initial benchmarking comparison); preliminary schedule linked

to developing model; and communication methodologies and technologies (BIM

platforms, source of data, interoperability of criteria, data transfer protocols, level

of detail development by phase, development of tolerances).



B. Criteria Design or Expanded Schematic Design: Building form, adjacencies and

spatial relationships; initial design of major building systems (structure, building

envelope, HVAC); cost estimate; and schedules.



C. Detailed Design or Expanded Design Development: Major systems selection

including furnishings, fixtures and equipment within scope of project; engineering

and coordination of all building elements; establishment of acceptable quality

levels; prescriptive specifications; detailed cost estimate; and detailed construction

schedule. Services under this phase shall be performed in collaboration with a

Construction Manager at Risk.



D. Implementation Documents or Construction Documents: Construction schedule;

construction means and methods; project cost and relationship to model; final

specifications; bid documents; and shop drawings; Services under this phase

shall be performed in collaboration with a Construction Manager at Risk.



E. Construction/Construction Phase Support: Quality control; schedules tied to

model; processing of RFI and submittals; and integration into model. Services

under this phase shall be performed in collaboration with a Construction Manager

at Risk.



F. Close-out: Complete building information model reflecting as-built conditions; and

warranties. Services under this phase shall be performed in collaboration with a

Construction Manager at Risk.



5. A/E EVALUATIONS:



Unless otherwise ineligible for evaluation, as determined by the Smithsonian Contracting Officer, all A/E submissions will be evaluated based on the criteria listed in Section 5 (A) through 5 (E) below. In addition, firms selected by the evaluation board will also be evaluated based on the criteria listed in Section 5 (F) through (5) (I) below. The evaluation criteria follow:



A. Professional qualifications necessary for satisfactory performance of the required

services.



A/E team must have the educational and professional qualifications to provide the

Services, including registration with the appropriate regulatory and professional

entities. A/E team must also have a minimum of: (i) three registered architects; and (ii)

one registered engineer for every engineering discipline. A/E must also be licensed in

the District of Columbia or have obtained reciprocity to provide the Services in the

District of Columbia prior to contract award.



B. Specialized experience and technical competence in the type of work required.



The A/E team, including key project personnel, must demonstrate experience and

technical competence in: (i) construction phase support services; and (ii) all of the

following:



Basic Disciplines: Architecture; Landscape Architecture; Mechanical, Electrical

and Plumbing; Structural Engineering; Civil Engineering; Geotechnical Engineering;

Fire Protection/Life Safety Engineering; Cost Estimating; Sustainable Design;

Accessibility; Commissioning; and Electronic and Anti-Terrorism Security.



Specialty Disciplines: Environmental planning/engineering; historic resource

protection;lighting design (including architectural and exhibit lighting); exhibit design

(for coordination of exhibit design, fabrication and installation with facility design);

collections and archive management; acoustics (including theater, sonic isolation

and general acoustics); information technology; food service design; retail design;

theaters; and multi-media performance spaces.



Experience/Technical Competence in Museums and Cultural Facilities: Design and

construction of facilities with the national significance, scope, and prominence

equivalent to a museum on the National Mall; culturally and environmentally sensitive

sites; historic preservation; educational or cultural facilities; large civic spaces and

projects comparable to NMAAHC in type, size and complexity ( Comparable

Projects ). This criterion also includes experience with external review and

approval agencies and processes including: National Capital Planning Commission;

U.S. Commission of Fine Arts; NHPA Section 106 review process; State Historic

Preservation Officers in general and the D.C. State Historic Preservation Officer in

particular. Greater consideration may be given to Comparable Projects completed

within the last seven years. A/E team should also demonstrate experience with

construction projects in the range of $100 million and greater; and submit

photographs or renderings of A/E projects comparable to NMAAHC in type, size

and complexity, which have been completed within the last seven years.



Building Information Modeling (BIM): A/E project team must demonstrate

experience in the use and implementation of Industry Foundation Classes ("IFC")

compliant parametric Building Information Modeling.



Production Competence: AutoCAD 2004; Microsoft Office, including Excel,

Microsoft Project and Power Point; 3-dimensional modeling in specialized software

(Archi-Cad); Adobe PDF; DWG files; JPEG and PNG files; and Building Information

Modeling (BIM).



C. Capacity to accomplish the work in the required time.



A/E project team must be able to accomplish the Services within a maximum period of

thirty-six months, including an early release package for site development. A/E must

also demonstrate sufficient depth (i.e. size; composition; personnel; capability;flexibility;

scheduling; management; and oversight) to: (i) assure performance of the Services

within the scope and technical requirements of the project; and (ii) deliver the Services

within the project scope, schedule (including Smithsonian time constraints) and

budget. In addition, firms must also submit a detailed listing of: (i) projects completed

during the last three years; and (ii) all pending projects. Include the name, location and

dollar value associated with each project.



D. Location of the offices performing the work in the specific Region

and knowledge of that Region



Clearly indicate: (i) the primary and branch offices where the Services will be

performed and detail the staffing of each office; and (ii) any additional offices

worldwide. A/E project management team must establish an office within 30 miles of

the NMAAHC site to facilitate communications and meetings with Smithsonian

personnel. In addition, please provide the primary and branch offices where the

Services will be performed for each subcontractor and detail the staffing at each office.



E. Appreciation of African American History and Culture



Detail in writing how you will infuse your participation and vision for this project with

an appreciation of African American History and Culture.



F. Past performance on contracts with government agencies and private industry



Demonstrated, successful past performance on contracts with an emphasis on: cost

control; quality of work; business relations/management; and timeliness of

performance (including compliance with performance schedules). Past performance

reviews may include evaluation of the following sub-factors:



Programming and design performance

Completeness and timeliness of plans and specifications

Accuracy of pre-construction estimates

Compliance with project schedules

Recommendations re: alternative energy sources and the ability to consider

conservation and life-cycle cost analyses

Ability to design within stipulated budgets

Construction administration performance

Design errors and omissions (including claims)

Budget overruns and change orders

Post-construction performance during the warranty period

Past/Pending Claims and Litigation

Ability to provide effective management

Responsiveness to inquiries and problem resolution

Customer satisfaction

Cooperative and proactive behavior with technical representatives

Management of public approval process

Collaborative team building and project execution

LEED/Sustainability

Quality Control/Peer Review

Quality Assurance

Phased Delivery/Project Packaging

Past performance on Smithsonian contracts, if any



Teams able to demonstrate that they have successfully worked together in the past on

projects comparable to NMAAHC in size, type, complexity and scope may receive

greater consideration.



G. A/E Discussions.



Firms selected by the evaluation board will be required to participate in in-person

discussions and presentations of qualifications.



H. Design Competition Submissions and Presentations



Firms will present preliminary design concepts for evaluation by a design competition

board ( Board ) using schematics, renderings, models and any other media appropriate

to express their preliminary design vision. The Board will evaluate firm submissions

and design presentations based on criteria established by Smithsonian. The design

competition is tentatively scheduled to be completed within 6-8 weeks. Firms will

receive additional competition information and a stipend to defray a portion of the costs

associated with their participation.



I. A/E Project Visits/A/E Office Visits



Smithsonian reserves the right to visit and observe A/E firms at: (i) A/E s principal place

of business; and (ii) the offices where the Services will be performed. In addition,

Smithsonian reserves the right to visit one or more A/E projects, including those

referenced in an SF-330. A/E firms may be evaluated further based on observations

from visits referenced in this paragraph.



6. SUBMISSION INFORMATION:



Firms capable of performing the Services must submit Parts I and II of the SF 330 for the prime and each principal firm included in a partnership, teaming arrangement or joint venture. Also submit Part II of the SF 330 for each consultant and subcontractor. In addition, please comply with the following:



A. Please submit seven (7) hard copies of the entire A/E SF 330 submission package

(including any other information requested herein), along with a CD in PDF format.

The SF 330 submission shall have a page limit of 200 pages. A page is one side of a

sheet. Number each page of the SF-330 submission. This page limit excludes the

front cover page; back cover page; Additional Past Performance Information and

claims submittal (referenced below); and tab/divider sheets. Font size shall not be

less than 10 fonts; and margins shall not be less than one inch.



B. Please forward the A/E submission via COURIER or IN-PERSON DELIVERY to:



Smithsonian Institution

Office of Contracting

2011 Crystal Drive, Suite 350

Arlington, VA 22202

ATTN: Valerie Wells



A/E submissions must be received no later than September 19, 2008 at 4:00

P.M., Eastern Daylight Time.



C. All questions related to this solicitation must be submitted in writing no later than

August 15, 2008 at 4:00 PM, Eastern Daylight Time. Firms are encouraged to submit

questions via e-mail to wellsv@si.edu; with an additional facsimile copy of the

questions transmitted to: Valerie Wells, Contracting Office at (202) 633-7305.

Firms may also submit written questions via COURIER or IN- PERSON DELIVERY to:



Smithsonian Institution

Office of Contracting

2011 Crystal Drive, Suite 350

Arlington, VA 22202

ATTN: Valerie Wells



A/E is responsible for verifying that Smithsonian has received A/E s questions prior

to the submission deadline. Except as outlined in this section, telephone calls,

personal visits, and e-mails to discuss this solicitation are strictly prohibited.



D. On SF 330, Part I, Block 5, include DUNS number for the prime firm. Effective

immediately, the use of DUNS+4 numbers to identify vendors is limited to identifying

different CCR records for the same vendor at the same physical location. For

example, a vendor could have two records for themselves at the same physical

location to identify two separate bank accounts. If you do not have a DUNS

number, or want to register subsidiaries and other entities, call Dun and Bradstreet

at 1-866-705-5711.



E. On the SF 330, Part I, Block F include the title and contract award dates for all

projects listed in that section.



F. For all projects listed in Part I, Block F of the SF 330, A/E should submit information

on any problems encountered by A/E during the project and corrective actions

taken in response to such problems. Please submit this information in a sealed

envelope separate from the SF 330; label the envelope Additional Past

Performance Information ; and include the sealed envelope in the SF 330

submittal package. This submittal shall have a total page limit of 40 pages,

including the claims information requested in Section 6(G) below.



G. Include detailed information regarding any past claims (within last 5 years) and all

pending claims (including errors and omissions insurance claims) against or related

to your firm. Information should include: a brief summary of each claim, relevant

dates, parties involved and status or disposition of claim. Please include this

information in the Additional Past Performance Information envelope referenced in

Section 6(F) above.



H. Please provide two contacts, along with current contact information, for all non-

federal projects identified in Section F of the SF 330.



I. A/E may include past performance information on relevant work performed for

State and local governments; private sector clients; under major subcontracts; as

part of a team or joint venture; and by key personnel for the Services. Past

performance evaluations may also include evaluations of each firm comprising a

teaming, joint venture, partnership or other business arrangement submitted by A/E

in connection with the Services. Smithsonian may obtain and use past

performance information from sources other than the contacts identified by A/E,

including PPIRS, CCASS, and ACASS ratings whether they are for projects named

or not.



J. This is a Request for Qualifications. There is no additional solicitation package.



K. A/E submissions that do not comply with the terms of this solicitation, including the

page limits and submission requirements, may be disqualified, rejected or removed

from further consideration at Smithsonian s sole discretion.



L. Smithsonian may refuse to consider any A/E submission received after the exact

date and time specified for receipt. The only acceptable evidence for establishing

the time of receipt at Smithsonian shall be the time/date stamp of the Smithsonian s

Office of Contracting on the submission wrapper, or other documentary evidence

of receipt maintained by such office.



M. All A/E materials and information submitted in response to this solicitation

(including A/E s SF-330 submission) shall be factual, accurate, complete and true.

Failure to comply with this provision may, at Smithsonian s sole discretion, result in

adverse action ranging from removal of A/E from further consideration to

termination of contract award.



N. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS.



O. With the exception of previously patented, trademarked, or copyrighted material,

by submitting a response to this solicitation, each firm is deemed to agree that the

Smithsonian shall own and hold all proprietary rights, including copyright, in all

drawings, documents and materials submitted in response to this solicitation and

any design concepts expressed therein (excluding firm brochures, and any

designs or materials related to other projects included as examples or for

references to the firm s work with other clients).



P. All information, drawings, photographs, or materials submitted with the A/E

submission package shall become Smithsonian property and will not be returned.



7. FUNDING CONTINGENCY



Please note that contract award is contingent upon Smithsonian s receipt of sufficient

federal and trust funds.



8. EXPENSES



Smithsonian shall not be responsible for costs incurred by any firm participating in the A/E

selection process.

Response to Questions Re: NMAAHC Architect-Engineer Design Services - Solicitation No. F08SOL00047

Contracting Office Address:

2011 Crystal Drive, Suite 350
Arlington, Virginia 22202

Primary Point of Contact.:

Secondary Point of Contact: