Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Needed

Architect and engineering services
NAICS Code:
541 -- Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services/541310 -- Architectural Services

PROJECT: Ashley Courthouse Renovation and New Annex, Toledo, Ohio

BUILDING TYPE: Federal Courthouse

SIZE: 95,000 gross square feet new, 93,000 gross square feet renovated

BUDGET: $80 to $90 million 

FUNDING: Subject to Availability of Funds



Continuing a legacy of outstanding public architecture and a tradition of preservation and modernization of historic federal buildings, the General Services Administration (GSA) Design Excellence Program seeks to commission our nation's most talented architects, landscape architects, interior designers, and engineers to design federal buildings of outstanding quality and value, and to prepare our historic federal buildings for the next 50 to 100 years of service. These projects are to demonstrate the value of true integrated design which balances aesthetics, cost, constructability, reliability, architectural and historic integrity with current needs; create environmentally responsible and superior workplaces for civilian Federal employees; and give contemporary form and meaning to our democratic values.  



In this context, GSA announces an opportunity for Design Excellence in public architecture for performance of Architectural-Engineering Design in accordance with GSA quality standards and requirements. As required by law, the facility will meet Federal Energy Goals and security requirements. The goal of the project is LEED Gold.



PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The James M. Ashley and Thomas W. L. Ashley U.S. Courthouse is a United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. It is located at the north end of Toledo’s Civic Center Mall with the address of 1716 Spielbusch Avenue Toledo, Ohio 43604. The four story, Neoclassical Revival  style, sandstone building was constructed in 1932 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.  Named for two former Congressmen from Ohio, James M. Ashley and his great grandson, Thomas W. L. Ashley (Ashley USCH), the Courthouse is primarily occupied by the U.S. District Court Northern District of Ohio and the U.S. Bankruptcy. The other tenants include offices for the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), Federal Credit Union, and U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). 



The building, although in good condition, requires modification and restoration in order to remain a functional and viable asset.  Judiciary growth, infrastructure improvement and security enhancements contribute to the need for annex construction and rehabilitation of the existing historic building. In addition, the US Attorney’s Office (USAO) will be co-located into the facility.

 

SCOPE OF WORK

The scope of professional services will require at a minimum: professional architectural, engineering, historic preservation, landscape architecture, interior design, interior space planning, and related consulting services for concept design documents, design development documents, construction documents, specifications, cost estimates, value engineering services, Building Information Modeling (BIM), computer-aided design and drafting (CADD), Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) administration, Information Technology (IT), Audio Visual (AV), security, and post-construction contract services (PCCS). The project is also to include GSA design standards, conformance to the P-100 (Facility Standards for Public Buildings), historic building preservation plans, LEED Gold requirements, and customer agency requirements.  GSA aims to minimize tenant disruption and minimize the use of swing space through construction phasing.


Modifications to historically designated Federal buildings must be in compliance with section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.  All resulting designs must be compliant with the Secretary of the Interior's’ Standards for Rehabilitation.  Every effort shall be made by the design team to avoid adversely affecting original materials and design. 



SELECTION PROCESS

This is a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) of A/E Firms/Lead Designers interested in contracting for this work. The A/E Firm as used in this RFQ means an individual, firm, partnership, corporation, association, or other legal entity permitted by law to practice the profession of architecture or engineering that will have contractual responsibility for the project design. The Lead Designer is the individual or the team of designers who will have primary responsibility to develop the concept and the project design.

 
The A/E selection will be completed in two stages as follows: In Stage I, interested firms will submit portfolios of accomplishment that establish the design capabilities of the Lead Designer and Design Firm. In Stage II, shortlisted Lead Designer-A/E teams will be interviewed.
 

Stage I 

All documentation will be in an 8 ½" x 11" format. The assembled content for the Stage I portfolio should be no more than 1/4 inch thick. Submissions may be double-sided where feasible. The portfolio should include the following: a cover letter referencing the FBO announcement and briefly describing the firm and its location, organizational makeup, and noteworthy accomplishments; Standard Form 330 Architect Engineer Qualifications Part II, and responses to the submission requirements and evaluation criteria listed below. An A/E Evaluation Board consisting of a private sector peer and representatives of the client and GSA will evaluate the submissions. The Board will establish a short-list of the highest rated firms, following an evaluation of qualifications submitted.


Identification of team members other than the Lead Designer(s) is not required at this stage. Consultant and "production firm" (if different from the Design Firm) information should not be included in the Stage I portfolio.


Submission Requirements and Evaluation Criteria: 



PAST PERFORMANCE ON DESIGN (35%): The A/E Firm(s) will submit a portfolio of not more than six construction projects completed in the last ten years (maximum of five pages per project). At least two projects shall include restoration/conservation work and represent a history of commendable design work in the restoration/conservation/adaptive reuse specialty.  The narrative shall address the design approach with salient features for each project and discuss how the client's program, function, image, mission, economic, schedule, and operational objectives were satisfied by the overall design/planning solution. It should comment on the relevance of submitted projects to this project. The narrative should also describe how preservation goals were met with regard to the rehabilitation projects and address the relevance of submitted projects to this project. Projects that meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties should be explicitly noted. This section of the submission should include tangible evidence such as certificates, awards, peer recognition, etc. demonstrating design excellence, and provide a client reference contact for each project, including name, title, address, email, phone, and fax numbers. A representative floor plan, a site plan, a building section, or other appropriate drawing, and a minimum of two photographs must be included for each project. 



PHILOSOPHY AND DESIGN INTENT (25%): In the Lead Designer's words (maximum of two pages), as related to this project, state: the parameters of an overall design philosophy; his/her approach to the challenge of public architecture and related issues; parameters that may apply in creating a new annex which responds to a structure of historic significance. 



LEAD DESIGNER PROFILE (15%): Submit a biographical sketch (maximum of three pages) including education, professional experience, recognition for design efforts inclusive of the portfolio examples. Identify and describe areas of responsibility and commitment to each project. 



LEAD DESIGNER PORTFOLIO (25%): Submit a portfolio representative of the Lead Designer's ability to provide design excellence. Address his or her participation in each project. If a single designer, submit a portfolio of up to three projects completed in the last ten years (maximum of five pages per project). If the Lead Designer is a team, submit graphics and a description of up to two projects from each Lead Designer or Lead Design discipline. The narrative shall address the design philosophy with salient features for each project and discuss how the client's program, functional, image, mission, economic, schedule, and operations and maintenance objectives were satisfied by the overall design/planning solution. Include tangible evidence such as certificates, awards, peer recognition, etc., demonstrating design excellence. Where there is duplication with criteria (1) Past Performance on Design, the Lead Designer shall address his or her participation in the project.  The lead designer shall also demonstrate a history of commendable design work in rehabilitation/conservation and adaptive reuse.



IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR STAGE I SUBMITTALS

Firms having the capabilities to perform the services described in this announcement are invited to respond by submitting Standard Form 330 Architect Engineer Qualifications Part II, which must not be dated more than twelve (12) months before the date of this synopsis along with letter of interest and the portfolio to:




Contracting Officer: Mr. William Chapman

Delivery Address: General Services Administration

230 South Dearborn

Suite 3600

Chicago, IL 60604



Phone number: 312-880-9472



ALL SUBMISSIONS ARE DUE by 2:00PM Central Time on May 23, 2016.



A total of six copies comprising of five hard copies and one copy on a USB drive should be submitted. The following information must be on the outside of the sealed envelope 1) Solicitation Number/Title, 2) Due Date, 3) Closing Time. Late responses are subject to FAR 52.214-7.



This contract will be procured under the Brooks A/E Act and FAR Part 36. The government will not allow payment for travel, living expenses, computer time or hookups for the prime or the consultants during the selection process. This is not a Request for Proposals (RFP).



GSA intends to hold a small business networking session in Toledo, Ohio after the shortlist is developed. The date, time and location will be announced with the short list. This session is intended to assist short-listed lead designers in assembling their full teams, and someone from the shortlisted lead designers’ firms should be in attendance at this session to meet with the representatives from the small businesses in attendance.



Only Stage I submissions are being requested at this time. The following Stage II information is presented for information only. For more information on the GSA Design Excellence Program, please visit gsa.gov/designexcellence


Stage II

Following the Stage One Evaluation and development of the short list of lead designers, the short-listed firms will be notified and asked to submit more detailed information indicating each member of the design team, including all outside consultants. Sufficient time will be provided for the Lead Designer-A/E Design Firm to establish its team. The firms will be required to complete Standard Form 330 Architect Engineer Qualifications Parts I and II which reflects the entire design team. Further details of the stage two specific submission requirements and interview parameters will be available to the short-listed firms. The evaluation of the complete design team after stage one will be as follows:



(1) Team Design Performance (50%)

Lead designer-A/E teams must address issues of historical context, design image, and function as they have been approached on past projects. The presentation of this factor shall draw similarities to the scope and complexity of this project. The proposed lead designer-A/E team should demonstrate it can work together successfully.



(2) Team Organization and Management Plan (30%)

A clear and efficient management plan delineating the team structure must be included and should incorporate sub-consultants.  Roles, responsibilities, lines of authority, coordination and communication should be outlined and the team shall present the means to integrate client, community, and —when required— preservation input.  A process for establishing quality control and commitment to quality control standards while designing within budget and schedule limitations should be included. The plans should also identify the physical location of major design and production work, the coordination plan for consultant work, and for work produced in remote offices.



(3) Professional Qualifications (15%)

The lead designer-A/E team project manager, lead designer and engineers should demonstrate that they have the qualifications, experience, and commitment to organize all efforts required for this project. The lead designer-A/E team must indicate:

• A process where the lead designer plays a substantive leadership role.

• A quality control methodology for the design.

• A primary commitment from the lead designer to this project.


(4) Geographic Location (5%)

The lead designer-A/E team must demonstrate capability to perform 35% of the contract effort within the State of Ohio.



The Selection Board shall interview each team. Candidates should be prepared to discuss all aspects of the criteria indicated above and evaluation criteria as established for Stage II, and demonstrate their ability to fulfill all project requirements. Emphasis will be placed on the Lead Designer-A/E Team's understanding of the unique aspects of the project, their design philosophy, project management process, and quality assurance plan. Responses to the evaluation criteria and interview questions will be used to rank the Lead Designer-A/E Teams.

Contracting Office Address:
Please refer to notice for address and remittance information.

United States 
Place of Performance:
James M. Ashley & Thomas W. L. Ashley U.S. Courthouse
1716 Spielbusch Ave.
Toledo, Ohio 43604 
United States 

Primary Point of Contact.:
Anna E. Vanko,
Contract Specialist
anna.vanko@gsa.gov
Phone: 614-469-2791

Secondary Point of Contact:
William M. Chapman,
Contracting Officer
william.chapman@gsa.gov
Phone: (312)880-9472