us army corps of engineers building strong ® architect-engineering contracting gordon l. simmons,...

US Army Corps of Engineers

BUILDING STRONG®

ARCHITECT-ENGINEERINGARCHITECT-ENGINEERING CONTRACTING CONTRACTING

Gordon L. Simmons, P.E.

Chief, Engineering Technical Specialties Branch

Savannah District

20 May 2010

BUILDING STRONG®

Unlocking the Mystery of theArchitect-Engineer Selection Process

BUILDING STRONG®

At any given time, Savannah District has between 35 and 45 active A-E Contracts with

as many as 700 Task Orders

We make a lot of A-E Selections to help execute a huge construction

program!

A-E Contracting

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Premise

SAS has very large MILCON and OMA programs with projects than run the complete gamut from large Battalion Training Complexes to small building upgrades

All contracts are unique; A-E services required vary greatly

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Types of Opportunities

For larger firms: IDC’s for district use – usually require work on

multiple task orders simultaneously Larger firms typically have the capacity, technical

expertise and depth of experience for these types of contracts

However, with the right team, small businesses can win (and have won) on unrestricted competitions.

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Types of Opportunities (cont.)

For smaller firms: IDC’s for Value Engineering, Master Planning, GIS Design support to the District IDC’s for use by installations Complex or technical contracts requiring specific expertise (I.e. Life

Safety, structural evaluations, etc) SAS strongly encourages partnerships between large and small firms

so that the smaller firms can compete in the future for those contracts requiring greater technical expertise and depth of experience.

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Types of Solicitations

Unrestricted competition

Small Business Set-Aside

Small Disadvantaged Business Set-Aside (equally preferred)

(8a) Hub ZONE Service Disabled Veteran-Owned SB

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A-E Contracting Trends

A-E IDIQ Contracts will be the typical method of executing RFP/Designs

Project specific contracts will rarely be used

Typically 5 to 8 Solicitations annually

Typically 3 to 6 Contracts per Solicitation

Contracts will typically consist of a base year and four one-year options with a maximum limit of up to a total of $12 Million

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WHY MULTIPLE AWARD SOLICITATIONS?

MORE ECONOMICAL FOR BOTH CORPS OF ENGINEERS & AEs

MORE FLEXIBILITY IN MAINTAINING SUFFICIENT CONTRACTS TO COVER VERY DYNAMIC WORKLOAD

UP TO ONE YEAR TO AWARD MULTIPLE CONTRACTS AFTER ANNOUNCEMENT CLOSES

OPPORTUNITY FOR NEW FIRMS TO WIN A CONTRACT

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HOW WE SOLICIT

AE SELECTION PROCESS

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STANDARDS WE LIVE BY:

BROOKS A-E ACT: Public Law 92-582:Mandates the public announcement of requirements for A-E services, selection of the most highly qualified firms based on demonstrated competence and professional qualifications, and the negotiation of a fair and reasonable

price.

FAR PART 36

Engineering Pamphlet EP-715-1-7, 14 Sep 2009

PARC INSTRUCTION LETTERS

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PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT

REQUIRED ON ALL AE CONTRACTS GREATER THAN $25K

30 DAYS (TYPICAL) TO RESPOND

FOUR PARTS:

PART 1 – CONTRACT INFORMATION

PART 2 – PROJECT INFORMATION

PART 3 – SELECTION CRITERIA

PART 4 – SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

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PART 2. PROJECT INFORMATION Types of Services

Specific types of Work/Projects

Mandatory Design Guides

Use of Specific USACE systems (DrChecks)

Product Delivery format


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PART 3. SELECTION CRITERIA Built around general FAR and DFARS criteria.

Must be project specific.

Must indicate order of importance of criteria and sub criteria.

Uses criteria that will be important discriminators.

Must not be unnecessarily restrictive.


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PART 3. SELECTION CRITERIA cont.

Primary Factors: Specialized Experience and Technical

Competence Key Personnel Professional Qualifications Work Management/Capacity Past Performance Knowledge of Locality (secondary in some

instances)


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Secondary Factors:Knowledge of LocalityGeographic Location of OfficeAmount of Contract Awards within the past 12 months (DoD-wide) Participation of Small Businesses and Small Disadvantaged Businesses

Small Business Plan must meet all requirements as stated in the solicitation.


PART 3. SELECTION CRITERIA cont.

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PART 4. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The What, When, How and Where to submit proposals

Note: Savannah District requires electronic submissions of SF 330s.

File sizes are limited. Information is secured with passwords


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HOW WE CHOOSE

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AE EVALUATION/SELECTION PROCESS

PRE-SELECTION

DETERMINATION OF MOST HIGHLY QUALIFIED FIRMS (SHORT-LISTED FIRMS)

INTERVIEW WITH THE SHORT LISTED FIRMS

FINAL RANKING OF MOST HIGHLY QUALIFIED FIRMS

SELECTION IS MADE AND APPROVED

NOTIFICATION/DEBRIEF

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A-E EVALUATION BOARDS

Pre-selection and Selection (FAR 36.602) Composed of in-house professional personnel

with experience in engineering, architecture, construction, project management and acquisition.

Using agency invited to participate if appropriate.

Reviews firms' qualifications using criteria in the synopsis.

Must be reasonable, consistent and fair.

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Goal of Selection Boards

The primary goal of all selection boards is to make the best match of an A-E’s

capability/capacity to the specific contract requirements.

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THE PRE-SELECTION PHASE Usually held when responses are greater than 10

Reviews only primary criteria, does not consider secondary criteria

Determine those highly qualified firms which have a reasonable chance of being considered as most highly qualified – board consensus required.

If submittals are incomplete, they will be eliminated at this time.

DETERMINATION OF MOST HIGHLY QUALIFIED FIRMS (SHORT-LISTED FIRMS) Based on Performance Risk Compared to other firms Board consensus required

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Selection Board Reviews and back checks both primary and

secondary criteria

Through group discussion and consensus, determines most highly qualified firms, in order of preference (minimum of 3)

Report produced which clearly states rationale for ranking of most highly qualified firms and reasons other firms were eliminated


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Evaluation Factors Adequate depth in all disciplines cited in synopsis Key personnel should have:

Degree and registration as called for in announcement

Pertinent experience Worked on example relevant projects

Prime and subs should have: Relevant recent experience (last 3-5 years) in

the required type of work Worked together recently on similar projects Clearly delineated roles


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Evaluation Factors (cont.) Prime and subs should have (cont):

Established quality work management program Excellence in past performance through ACASS,

repeat business, design awards, etc.

All factors rated on performance risk as follows: Outstanding – Very low performance risk Above Average – Low performance risk Average – Moderate performance risk Below average – High performance risk Poor – Unacceptable performance risk


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Notification of Unsuccessful Firms All firms are notified of their selection status within 10

days after approval of selection report No notifications provided after pre-selection

Simple letter – do not give reasons

May release name of firm with which a contract will be negotiated

Advise firm they have 10 days to request a debriefing


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THE DEBRIEF

ALL FIRMS ARE ALLOWED A DEBRIEF

FIRM MUST REQUEST THE DEBRIEF WITHIN THE SPECIFIED TIME –NORMALLY 10 DAYS FROM DATE OF NOTIFICATION LETTER

MAY BE TELEPHONIC OR IN PERSON


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THE IMPORTANCE OF A DEBRIEF

OVERVIEW OF THE SELECTION PROCESS

WHAT SEPARATED YOUR FIRM

DISCUSS SIGNIFICANT WEAK OR DEFICIENT QUALIFICATIONS AS WELL AS POSITIVE ASPECTS OF SUBMITTAL

MAY NOT DISCUSS OTHER FIRMS


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Submission Protocol

Do not visit the District between submission and final selections

• Unfair advantage over other firms

Do not send in a “test” submittal• It might count as the official submittal!

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• Do not send submissions several hours before closing

•Time outs•Password resets

Submission Protocol

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THINGS THAT SEPARATE FIRMS

LATE ARRIVING PROPOSALS

INCOMPLETE PROPOSALS - PARTS MISSING

NOT ADDRESSING THE SELECTION CRITERIA COMPLETELY

FAILURE TO INCLUDE THE REQUIRED RESUMES

PROJECT ASSIGNMENT ON RESUME IS UNCLEAR OR BLANK


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THINGS THAT SEPARATE FIRMS CON’T INADEQUATE DEPTH/CAPACITY

KEY PERSONNEL WITHOUT REQUIRED REGISTRATIONS/CERTIFICATIONS

PROJECT MANAGER WITH NO EXPERIENCE DOING DOD/COE WORK

NO CURRENT RELEVANT PROJECTS

POORLY DEFINED WORK/QUALITY MANAGEMENT PLAN


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THINGS THAT SEPARATE FIRMS CON’T INADEQUATE DEMONSTRATION OF

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE BY THE TEAM

NO ASSURANCE TEAM PRESENTED WILL PERFORM THE WORK

INADEQUATE DEMONSTRATION OF PAST PERFORMANCE/ POOR ACASS RATINGS

NO PLAN FOR COORDINATION OF WORK WITH SUBCONSULTANTS

NOT ANSWERING INTERVIEW QUESTIONS


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CURRENT PROCESSES/ STANDARDS THAT YOU SHOULD EMBRACE :

CHARRETTES – PROGRAMMING & DESIGN

AT/FP SUSTAINABLE DESIGN STANDARD DESIGNS DESIGN BUILD

MCACES (MII) & PACES COST ESTIMATING

SpecsIntact SOFTWARE

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CURRENT PROCESSES/ STANDARDS THAT YOU SHOULD EMBRACE :

MICROSTATION CADD/BENTLEY BIM

AEC CADD STANDARDS REQ’TS

SDS COMPLIANT ESRI GEODATABASE FOR GIS

COE VALIDATION OF GEOTECH LAB TESTING FACILITIES

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THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN MAKING SUBMISSIONS

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The Announcement

READ EVERYTHINGCAREFULLY!

RESPOND TO EVERYTHING COMPLETELY!

Things to Remember

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Things to Remember

BUILD YOUR NEXT PROPOSAL BASED ON LESSONS LEARNED.

SCHEDULE A DEBRIEF EVEN IF YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL

THE BOARD TAKES NOTHING FOR GRANTED - YOU MUST DEMONSTRATE ALL OF YOUR QUALIFICATIONS.

THE BOARD MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS THAT WILL HELP YOU.

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PUT YOURSELF IN THE REVIEWER’S SHOES - READING STACKS OF PROPOSALS IS THOROUGHLY EXHAUSTING!

BE COMPLETE, BE CLEAR, BE CONCISE!

Things to Remember

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MOST BOARD MEMBERS ARE OVER 40 YEARS OLD. DON’T USE SMALL PRINT IN ORDER TO PUT MORE INTO YOUR PROPOSAL. USE FONT

SIZE AS STATED IN ANNOUNCEMENT!

Things to Remember

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TRY TO AVOID PUTTING FLUFF IN YOUR PROPOSAL. IT COULD BE MISUNDERSTOOD AND COULD HURT YOU!

Things to Remember

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MAKE YOUR PROPOSAL EASY TO READ AND EMPHASIZE YOUR CRITICAL INFO.

CAREFULLY PICK YOUR 10 PROJECTS. A PROJECT DONE AS A TASK ORDER UNDER AN IDIQ CAN BE CONSIDERED A PROJECT.

FOLLOW THE FORMAT OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT! (AND ABOVE ALL, DON’T

CHANGE THE SF 330 FORMAT!)

Things to Remember

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Reviewer’s dream proposal - It’s all there, in logical, easy to find order.

No two contracts are identical – look at each submission with “new eyes”.

No magic formula for good, honest content!

In a Nutshell

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No matter how well you complete the government forms there are no substitutes for:

Having designed similar facilities Experienced team that have worked together Good Past Performance Valid work plan Customer Satisfaction Etc.

Not a Game of Chance

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Gordon Simmons, Chief, Engineering Technical Specialties Branch

[email protected]

912-652-5229 Les Zuniga, AE Selection Coordinator

[email protected]

912-652-5547 Sherry Turner, AE Selection Assistant

[email protected]

912-652-5703

Contacts

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Questions

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