NOTICES

DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES

Retention of Professional Wayside Exhibit and Publication Development, Design and Production Firms; Project Reference No. FDC-500-812

[48 Pa.B. 2143]
[Saturday, April 14, 2018]

 The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (Department) is seeking proposals from interested and qualified professional interpretive wayside exhibit and publication production firms (Professional) for research, writing, editing, design and fabrication/printing services for publications and interpretive wayside exhibit signs. Acquisition of final signage and frames may be included. The contract or contracts will be for a 12-month period with four 12-month extensions possible. Projects will be assigned on an as needed basis. The contract or contracts will be managed by the Department's Bureau of Facility Design and Construction (Bureau).

 The number of open-end contracts and the dollar amount of each contract shall be at the discretion of the Department for the first year. The extent of the work for the subsequent 4 years of the contract will be dependent on the availability of additional funds and additional projects for those years, also at the discretion of the Department.

 Letters of Interest for this project will only be accepted from individuals, firms or corporations duly authorized to engage in the exhibit and publication planning, development, design, and fabrication or printing. If an individual, firm or corporation not authorized to engage in the practice of exhibit and publication planning, development, design, and fabrication or printing wishes to submit a Letter of Interest, the individual, firm or corporation may do so as part of a joint venture with an individual, firm or corporation which is permitted under State law to engage in the practice of exhibit and publication planning, development, design, and fabrication or printing.

Background

 Established on July 1, 1995, the Department is charged with: maintaining and preserving 121 State Parks; managing 2.2 million acres of State Forest land; providing information on the ecological and geologic resources; and establishing community conservation partnerships with grants and technical assistance to benefit rivers, trails, greenways, local parks and recreation, regional heritage parks, open space and natural areas.

 The Department uses diverse communication methods to advance the mission, goals and objectives of the Department to the public. Often, the Bureau of State Parks and the Bureau of Forestry accomplish this by implementing the principles and techniques of quality, personal and nonpersonal interpretation. Interpretation is ''a mission-based communication process that forges emotional and intellectual connections between the interests of the audience and the meanings inherent in the resource'' (NAI web site, April 2007).

 Within the Bureau of State Parks, the Outdoor Programming Services Division provides interpretive guidance and support to 121 State Parks and 4 regional offices throughout this Commonwealth. This includes guidance on program development, training opportunities, program evaluation, policy development and adherence, planning, project management, visitor center and exterior exhibit planning, recreational publication development, the State Parks web site and funding.

 The Bureau of Forestry, Communications and Interpretation Section implements both departmental communications strategies, and bureau-level information and interpretive programs and services for 20 forest districts, encompassing 17 million acres. These include press releases and media relations, interpretive planning, project development, resource management center exhibits and wayside development, public use maps, interpretive and recreation publications, and web site and social media communications.

 The Bureau provides multidisciplined facility and infrastructure technical support to the other bureaus in the Department in the areas of project design, project inspections, construction management, contract administration, surveying, and other technical advice and consultation. In addition to project design, staff also provides technical architectural and engineering support and advice to assist field operation in State Parks and State Forests.

PART I
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

I-1. Specific Requirements.

 A. The Department has a need for a range of services for all aspects of interpretive wayside exhibit (both interior and exterior) and publication production. These services include: developing project plans; developing storylines; researching, writing and editing text; developing concept and final graphic designs in diverse styles and types; developing budgets; preparing reports; attending planning meetings; producing or acquiring photographs or graphic images; providing printed pieces (when requested) using diverse bindings, folds or sizes; and providing fabricated wayside exhibit panels and frames, both interior and exterior (when requested). Printing and fabrication of panels may be accomplished by outsourcing or subcontracting with other vendors. Printing of publications may be coordinated by and paid for by the Department apart from contracts awarded through this Request for Proposals (RFP) or they may be accomplished by the Professional through outsourcing or subcontracting with other vendors. Final determination of whether printing will or will not be part of a given project will be made by the Department prior to issuance of a Work Order.

 B. Projects will be developed and assigned on an annual basis or as required. Each project will be individually developed and assigned to the successful Professional using separate Project Work Orders.

 C. Selected firms will be expected to provide a full range of professional interpretive wayside exhibit and publication production services for individual projects for State Parks, State Forests and other Department sites on an as needed basis throughout the contract period.

 D. Unless otherwise specified on a Project Work Order, publications and waysides will be designed using established Department Design Standards, including use of Macintosh OSX operation system and designated software, primarily Adobe Creative Suite. All final files plus other materials and items so designated in the Project Work Order or elsewhere become the property of the Department and must be provided digitally upon completion of the project.

 E. Sustainability should be incorporated into the earliest design decisions. Work may occur in interior or exterior areas, visitor lobbies, areas along trails, recreational infrastructure, or any other public area and any other point of public contact throughout the State Parks and State Forests.

 F. It is expected that the firms will assemble a team of professionals who are recognized specialists in their individual fields of expertise. Professionals may subcontract or joint venture with other professionals to assemble the most capable team to address the needs and objectives of this RFP. Selected Professionals will be required to work closely with the assigned Department Project Coordinator to develop each project utilizing designated Department staff in the creative processes involved to the fullest extent possible. Department Project Coordinators will be responsible for signing off on project development milestones. The Department Project Coordinator may change from project to project. Travel to the project sites will be required.

 1-2. Qualifications. Professionals shall have staff available to facilitate rapid services associated with assigned projects within the timeline established on the Project Work Order. Professionals may be called upon to provide services on multiple projects at the same time. Professionals shall have demonstrated knowledge of: interpretive wayside exhibit project and publication project planning; interpretive research, writing and editing; graphic design and layout; current wayside fabrication methods and signage materials; and wayside frame designs available.

 The following minimum qualifications will be expected of all Professionals:

 • Staff Requirements: Professionals will provide a minimum of a project manager, research associates, interpretive writer/editors, graphic designers and persons familiar with signage fabrication and frames; include the employee's name and, through a resume or similar document, the project personnel's education, training, certifications, organizational memberships and experience in project management; budget management; researching, writing, developing and designing interpretive waysides and publications; creating and obtaining illustrations, photographs and graphic components for waysides and publications; and fabrication of interpretive waysides or publications, as well as any other types of projects that may be included in the scope of work covered by this RFP. Experience within the last 5 years will be considered most relevant. Those projects involving work in any of these fields at State or Federal Parks and recreation areas, public zoos, aquariums, museums or equivalent will be conserved as relevant experience.

 Subcontractors that are intended to be used shall be identified and the services they will perform along with documentation on their education, training, certifications, organizational memberships and experience. Other specialists may be included as part of the proposal. Provide a letter of commitment for the term of the contract from each subcontractor that is intended to be used for work under this contract. If the Professional wants to add to, or replace, any of the persons, employees or subcontractors previously named at any time after originally submitting them, the changes must be reviewed and approved by the Department. Otherwise, these persons, employees and subcontractors must remain the same.

 • Qualifications of the Firm: These include the number of years in business; financial capability, the ability of the company to undertake a contract of this size; the certification or other credentials received from professional associations, independent agencies and other as evidence of the firm's qualification to work on this contract; the number of State and Federal Park and recreation agencies, public zoos, aquariums, museums or equivalent who have been clients; and specific references from clients including all categories of services required under this contract. The qualifications of any companies or individuals proposed to be used as subcontractors will also be evaluated in this category of criteria using these same factors.

 • Qualifications of Personnel: These include the number of years of experience with the current company and with other employers in the same field; the education and training relevant to their work under this contract; the certification or other credentials received from professional or trade associations, independent agencies and others as evidence of their qualifications to work on this contract; the number of clients to which they have been assigned that operate State or Federal Parks and recreation areas, public zoos, aquariums, museums or equivalent; and specific client references. The qualifications of employees of any companies proposed to be used as subcontractors, and any sole proprietors proposed for use as subcontractors, will also be evaluated in this category.

 I-3. Addenda to the RFP. If the Department deems it necessary to revise any part of this RFP before the proposal response date, the Issuing Office will post an addendum to the Department's web site at http://www.dcnr.pa.gov. It is the Offeror's responsibility to periodically check the web site for any new information or addenda to the RFP. Answers to the questions asked during the Questions and Answers period also will be posted, as necessary to the web site as an addendum to the RFP.

 I-4. Small Diverse Business (SDB) and Small Business Information. The Department encourages participation by SDBs and small businesses as prime contractors, and encourages all prime contractors to make significant commitments to use SDBs and small businesses as subcontractors and suppliers.

 A small business must meet each of the following requirements:

 • The business must be a for-profit, United States business.

 • The business must be independently owned.

 • The business may not be dominant in its field of operation.

 • The business may not employ more than 100 full-time or full-time equivalent employees.

 • The business, by type, may not exceed the following 3-year average gross sales:

  o Procurement goods and services: $20 million.

  o Construction: $20 million.

  o Building design services: $7 million.

  o Information technology goods and services: $25 million.

 For credit in the RFP scoring process, a small business must complete the Department of General Services (DGS)/Bureau of Diversity, Inclusion and Small Business Opportunities (BDISBO) self-certification process. Additional information on this process can be found at http://www.dgs.pa.gov/Businesses/Small%20Business%20Contracting%20Program/Pages/default.aspx.

 An SDB is a DGS-verified minority-owned small business, woman-owned small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender-owned small business, disability-owned small business or other small business as approved by DGS, that are owned and controlled by a majority of persons, not limited to members of minority groups, who have been deprived of the opportunity to develop and maintain a competitive position in the economy because of social disadvantages.

 For credit in the RFP scoring process, an SDB must complete the DGS verification process. Additional information on this process can be found at http://www.dgs.pa.gov/Businesses/Small%20Diverse%20Business%20Program/Small-Diverse-Business-Verification/Pages/default.aspx.

 An Offeror that qualifies as an SDB or a small business and submits a proposal as a prime contractor is not prohibited from being included as a subcontractor in separate proposals submitted by other Offerors.

 An SDB or small business may be included as a subcontractor with as many prime contractors as it chooses in separate proposals.

 The Department's directory of self-certified small businesses and BDISBO-verified SDBs can be accessed from http://www.dgs.pa.gov/Businesses/Small%20Diverse%20Business%20Program/Small-Diverse-Business-Verification/Pages/Finding-Small-Diverse-Businesses.aspx.

 Questions regarding the SDB and small business programs, including questions about the self-certification and verification processes, can be directed to the Department of General Services, Bureau of Diversity, Inclusion and Small Business Opportunities, Room 601, North Office Building, Harrisburg, PA 17125, (717) 783-3119, fax (717) 787-7052, RA-BDISBOVerification@pa.gov, www.dgs.pa.gov.

 I-5. Notification of Selection. Professionals whose proposals are not selected will be notified when contract negotiations have been successfully completed and the Department has received the final negotiated contract signed by the selected Professionals.

 I-6. Type of Contract. The type of contract as a result of this RFP shall be an open-end, requirements contract. Work shall be assigned on an as needed basis as determined by the Department. The initial term of the agreement shall be 1 year and renewable for up to 4 subsequent years. Reimbursement for services shall be by fixed fee percentage based upon project allocation or hours of service and qualifying expenses. The reimbursement type shall be at the Department's discretion. The work shall be reviewed by the staff of the Bureau and when applicable, approved by same staff.

PART II
PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

 Professionals must submit their proposals in the format, including heading descriptions, outlined as follows. To be considered, the proposal must respond to all requirements in this part of the RFP. Offerors should provide any other information thought to be relevant, but not applicable to the enumerated categories, as an appendix to the proposal.

 II-1. Requirements. Proposals shall include the following items and information.

 • Letter of Interest including the firm's Federal identification number and the project reference number.

 • A list of at least three of the Professional's most recently completed projects for publications and three of the Professional's most recently completed projects for wayside exhibits like the projects anticipated under the contract. The list shall include photographs and a descriptive narrative, the client's contact person and contact information, the completion date, the estimated or actual total cost, the estimated or actual cost of the portion of the work which the firm designed, the firm's Project Manager and the names of all the firm's personnel who made contributions to the project.

 • A description of the Professional's project approach and methodology, including the approach to the managerial, technical and administrative aspects of the project. Describe how the scope, schedule, budget and quality of a project are managed and controlled. Address communication and coordination strategies internal to the design team, with the client and with other outside agencies. Describe how an integrated design process is approached and has been used on past projects.

 • A detailed description of the Professional's quality control and assurance program, including how subconsultants are included in this program. Describe what steps are taken to assure accurate, fully coordinated construction documents. Provide the name of the person responsible for quality control and describe their qualifications to perform this task.

 • Resumes of personnel who will be involved in providing the services described herein to the Department. Describe their relevant experience, years of experience, what roles they will fill in providing the required services and percent of time they will be committing to Department-assigned projects. The resumes must include their professional education and professional registrations and licenses. Provide resumes of subconsultant's personnel.

 • A description of the Professional's ability to work on multiple projects of various sizes at the same time.

 • A standard DGS Form 150-ASP indicating the individual in charge. The Form 150-ASP is available to download from DGS Home Page on the Internet at http://www.dgs.state.pa.us. Form 150-ASP shall be submitted in hard copy format per Part II, II-2 of the RFP. The electronic submission instructions on the DGS web site are for the DGS projects only. Additional information pertinent to this firm's qualifications to do the work of this contract may be included.

 II-2. Number of Copies. Two copies of the SDB participation section bound and sealed separately from the remainder of the proposal and six copies of the complete set consisting of the Letter of Interest and the required forms must be received no later than Wednesday, May 16, 2018, at 4 p.m. The six copies shall be submitted in six complete sets that shall be spiral bound or in folders or secured by binder clips. The assignment and services will be made to one or more of the firms responding to this notice. However, the Department reserves the right to reject all Letters of Interest submitted, cancel the solicitation requested under this notice or readvertise solicitation for this service.

 II-3. Debriefing. The Department will not offer a debriefing session to the unsuccessful firms. The Department disclaims any liability whatsoever to its review of the proposal submitted and in formulating a recommendation for selections. Recommendations made by the Department shall be final.

PART III
CRITERIA FOR SELECTION

 III-1. Selection Criteria. The firm will be evaluated upon the following criteria:

 A. Professional's experience on past projects of similar scope, type and size.

 B. Professional's staff qualifications, experience and ability to perform the required services, including available manpower to perform the required services. This includes the qualifications, experience and abilities of subconsultant's staff.

 C. Professional's understanding of the problem and the services required.

 D. Professional's project approach and methodology.

 E. Quality control and assurance program and procedures.

 F. Equitable distribution of contracts.

 G. Offeror is a self-certified small diverse and small business. To be eligible for selection for this Project the Offeror's firm must be a self-certified small business/SDB verified by the BDISBO. Refer to Part I, I-4.

 III-2. Number of Contracts. The Department may select more than one firm.

PART IV
MAILING AND CONTACT INFORMATION

 Firms interested in performing the required services for this project are invited to submit Letters of Interest to Alfred Uzokwe, Sr., PE, Director, Bureau of Facility Design and Construction, Rachel Carson State Office Building, 8th Floor, 400 Market Street, P.O. Box 8451, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8451. Contact Terri Kromel at (717) 783-4361 for general information concerning this RFP.

CINDY ADAMS DUNN, 
Secretary

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 18-570. Filed for public inspection April 13, 2018, 9:00 a.m.]

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