NOTICES
Retention of Engineering Firms
[27 Pa.B. 2485]
Fayette, Greene, Washington and
Westmoreland Counties
Project Reference No. 08430AG2067The Department of Transportation will retain an engineering firm for an Open-end Contract to provide supplementary construction inspection staff under the Department's Inspector-in-Charge to perform construction inspection services on various projects in Engineering District 12-0, that is Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland Counties. The contract will include roadway and bridge construction projects and material plant inspection. The contract will be for a period of 60 months, with a maximum cost of $1 million.
It is anticipated that a maximum supplementary construction inspection staff of 19 inspectors will be required for this assignment.
The Department will establish an order of ranking of a minimum of three firms for the purpose of negotiating an Engineering Agreement based on the Department's evaluation of the acceptable letters of interest received in response to this solicitation. The ranking will be established directly from the letters of interest. Technical proposals will not be requested prior to the establishment of the ranking.
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. Number of available inspectors in each payroll classification.
b. Number of NICET certified inspectors in each payroll classification.
c. Understanding of the Department's requirements, policies and specifications.
d. Past Performance.
e. Availability of inspectors.
The qualifications and experience required of the firm's inspectors will be established by the Department, and the qualifications of the firm's proposed employes will be reviewed and approved by the Department.
It is anticipated that the supplementary construction inspection staff for this assignment will consist of the following number of inspectors who meet the requirements for the following inspection classifications:
No. of Classification Inspectors Transportation Construction Insp. Super. (TCIS) (NICET Highway Construction Level 3 or equivalent) 2 (1) Transportation Construction Inspector (TCI) (NICET Highway Construction Level 2 or equivalent) 15 (9) Technical Assistant (TA)
(NICET Highway Construction Level 1 or equivalent)2 (0) The numbers in parenthesis above indicate the number of inspectors in each Classification that must meet at least one of the following requirements:
1. Be certified by the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET) in the field of Transportation Engineering Technology, subfield of Highway Construction, or subfield of Highway Materials, at the Level required for the Inspection Classification.
2. Be registered as a Professional Engineer by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with the required highway experience specified for the Inspection Classification.
3. Be certified as an Engineer-in-Training by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with the required highway experience specified for the Inspection Classification.
4. Hold a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering or a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering Technology with the required highway experience specified for the Inspection Classification.
5. Hold an Associate Degree in Civil Engineering Technology with the required highway experience specified for the Inspection Classification.
The maximum reimbursement per hour of inspection for each Department Payroll Classification for calendar year of 1997:
Payroll Classification Maximum Straight Time Reimbursement Per Hour of Inspection (TCIS) $38.21 (TCI) $33.44 (TA) $22.98 The maximum reimbursement per hour of inspection includes all costs for providing construction inspection services at the project site during the normal work week.
Maximum reimbursement per hour of inspection for subsequent calendar years, if applicable, will be established at the scope of work meeting.
The firm selected may be required to attend a preconstruction conference with the Department and the construction contractor for this project. Under the supervision and direction of the Department, the selected firm will be required to keep records and document the construction work; 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 item; and perform other duties as may be required. Firms applying must have qualified personnel capable of climbing structures during painting, rehabilitation or construction.
The firm selected will be required to supply the following equipment at no direct cost to the Department:
2 Nuclear Densometer Gauges/License 1 Paint Test Kit 2 Vehicles for the Transportation of Nuclear Gauges 2 Two-way Radios 1 Cellular Phone The maximum number of resumes to be included in the letter of interest shall be as follows:
Classification No. of Resumes TCIS 3 TCI 18 No resumes are required for the TA Classification.
The second copy of the letter of interest and required forms, (see general requirements and information section) shall be sent to Michael H. Dufalla, P.E., District Engineer, District 12-0, P. O. Box 459, Uniontown, PA 15401.
Technical questions concerning the requirements for this project should be directed to Anthony M. Dzurko, P.E., District 12-0, at (412) 439-7137.
Questions concerning the submittal of the letter of interest can be directed to the Consultant Agreement Division at (717) 783-9309.
Statewide
Open-End Contract for Constructability Reviews
Reference No. 08430AG2068The Department of Transportation will retain an engineering firm for an Open-End Contract for conducting constructability reviews on various projects located in Pennsylvania. The contract will be for a 60 month period with projects assigned on an as-needed basis. The required services may encompass a wide range of highway and bridge construction projects. The maximum amount of the Open-End Contract will be $1 million.
The selected firm will be required to provide guidance and assistance to the Department by reviewing design documents of major transportation projects and coordinating Department Workshops. The reviews are to assure the project can be constructed efficiently, economically and expeditiously without delays, failures or major problems and with minimal inconvenience to the traveling public.
The selected firm shall provide a team of qualified individuals with experience in the construction and construction management of complex transportation projects.
The selected firm will not be allowed to release any information to prospective bidders of the construction contract.
The selected firm team, or any commonly owned company, will not be allowed to be involved or assist in the bidding process of the construction contract.
The firm will scrutinize each design from a contractor's point of view by conducting Constructability Reviews, Biddability Reviews and Estimate Reviews at the specified design development intervals.
The Constructability Review may consist of, but not be limited to the following:
* Project Scope
* Site logistics and constraints
* Environmental impacts of proposed construction methods
* Clarity of documents
* Technical constructability
* Compatibility of contract plans, specifications and applicable standards
* Subsurface soil data
* Scheduling requirements
* Construction phasing
* Erosion and Sedimentation control
* Maintenance and Protection of Traffic
* Construction site access for each phase of MPT including material delivery and specialized equipment needs
* Local event conflicts
* Material Acquisition
* Utility clearances for constructability and project schedule
* Property/Business owner access and pedestrian safety/access
* Full-Scale structural analysis of bridge designs is not required
The Constructability Reviews will establish project duration, milestone dates and applicable construction restrictions.
In conjunction with the Constructability Review, the firm will be required to develop a CPM (Critical Path Method) Schedule in the I-J Activity on Arrow format. The CPM Schedule will adhere to the Department's Specifications.
The Biddability Review may consist of, but not be limited to the following:
* Bid items; realistic means of evaluation and comparison of bids
* Plans and specifications; accurate portrayal of the project in detail for reasonable bidding
* Clarity of drawings and specifications
* Provisions for processing shop drawings; review and realistic review periods
* Specifications and drawings consistent, accurate and practical
* Proper utilization and adaptability of innovative contracting methods
* Criteria for acceptance or rejection of work defined
The Estimate Review may consist of, but not be limited to the following:
* Bid unit prices, realistic and priced on scope of work described
* Bid quantities realistic and representative of anticipated work
* Scope of work for lump sum items clearly described and prices are realistic
* Effect of construction schedule, and methodology on cost estimates
For each Work Order assignment, the firm will be furnished progress plans, specifications and estimates to review and may be required to attend and/or facilitate Constructability Review meetings. Within 14 to 28 days after receipt of these documents, the firm will submit to the Department their report with recommendations regarding the Constructability and Estimate reviews. Major issues will be communicated to the Department as they are discovered.
The firm will also be furnished final plans, specifications and estimates to review and may be required to attend and/or facilitate Constructability Review meetings. After receipt of these documents, the firm will submit to the Department their report with recommendations and present an oral report regarding the Constructability, Biddability and Estimate reviews within the time frame specified by the Department. Major issues shall be communicated to the Department as they are discovered.
The format and content of all documents, plans and specifications will be consistent with applicable State and Federal regulations and guidelines.
The engineering services identified above are the general work activities that can be expected under this Open-End Contract. A more specific and project-related scope of work will be outlined for each individual Work Order developed under this Open-End Contract.
The Department will establish an order of ranking of a minimum of three firms for the purpose of negotiating an Open-End Contract based on the Department's evaluation of the acceptable letters of interest received in response to this solicitation. The ranking will be established directly from the letters of interest. Technical proposals will not be requested prior to the establishment of the ranking.
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, previous experience, technical competence of firm and experience of individuals who constitute the firm.
b. Expertise as related to Plan, Specifications, Estimate and bid development.
c. Expertise as related to heavy and highway construction.
d. Familiarity with Department Specifications, Manuals and Standards.
e. Past record of performance.
f. Expertise as related to construction scheduling including Critical Path Method.
g. Expertise as related to environmental engineering.
h. Expertise as related to soil analysis.
i. Available staffing for this assignment.
j. Relative size and workload capacity of firm.
Technical questions concerning the requirements for this project should be directed to V. C. Shah, P.E., Contract Management Division, Bureau of Design, at (717) 787-5914.
Questions concerning the submittal of the letter of interest can be directed to the Consultant Agreement Division, Kash Batra, P.E., at (717) 783-9457.
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 Charles W. Allwein, P.E., Chief, Consultant Agreement Division, 7th Floor, Forum Place, 555 Walnut Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101-1900.
The letter of interest and required information 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. 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 corporation 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 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 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 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 employes 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 Disadvantaged 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 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 2-year time frame. The Workload Projection Graph should be submitted for the offices 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 names in the letter of interest, the letters from proposed prime employes should be first, followed by subconsultant employes, 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 (717) 787-1057 or (717) 787-2004.
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 one sided pages or five double sided pages may be included at the discretion of the submitting firm.
The assignment of the agreement/contract for the above advertisements 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. 97-790. Filed for public inspection May 16, 1997, 9:00 a.m.]
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