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FBO DAILY - FEDBIZOPPS ISSUE OF APRIL 30, 2017 FBO #5637
DOCUMENT

C -- VHA MASTER SPECIFICATION UPDATES - Attachment

Notice Date

4/28/2017
 

Notice Type

Attachment
 

NAICS

541310 — Architectural Services
 

Contracting Office

Department of Veterans Affairs;Office of Construction and;Facilities Management (00CFM3B);425 I Street, NW;Washington DC 20001
 

ZIP Code

20001
 

Solicitation Number

VA10117N0387
 

Response Due

5/5/2017
 

Archive Date

6/4/2017
 

Point of Contact

Deborah Faulkner
 

Small Business Set-Aside

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business
 

Description

GENERAL The Office of Construction & Facilities Management is seeking the professional services of an experienced Specification Writer(s) to revise and update the VA specification sections listed in this SOW. Applicants should be eligible participants in the VA s Veterans First Contracting Program with verified status as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) or Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB). BACKGROUND Office of Construction & Facilities Management (CFM) maintains a database of more than 600 master specifications for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) building construction program. More than 300 of these sections are used for the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) building construction program. These specifications are closely coordinated with VA design guides, design manuals and other documents located in the Technical Information Library (TIL) that contain VA s policies, criteria and preferences for planning and construction of its healthcare facilities. Edited master specifications become an integral part of all construction contracts. These master specifications are updated every three years to keep them current with changes of applicable standards and technology or other planning criteria and federal directives. VENDOR QUALIFICATIONS Specifications Writers dedicated to specifications writing with CDT and CCS credentials that are experienced in updating and creating new master specifications for all architectural and engineering design disciplines and are experienced in maintaining and developing commercial specifications systems including at least one of the following: MasterSpec Speclink SpecText Specification Writer who can validate past performance of writing/updating masters (not specifications) for the VA, and demonstrates a familiarity with the TIL (Technical Information Library) of CFM are critical qualifications criteria DETAIL SCOPE OF WORK Perform all necessary work to revise and update and add the following VA specification sections: The General Requirements section will be broken up into number of sections to comply with CSI/UFGS format. This requirement can be further discussed at the kick-off meeting. Update industry references and applicable publications for dates, titles, and technical contents in each of the specifications. Include industry references with the most current published years for all specification sections. Verify that the content in each specification section is coordinated with the referenced industry standard in the updated section. Review the existing section content to determine validity, recommend revisions and seek approval from VA before proceeding with the update. Conduct research on products affected by technological innovations that the Specification Writer recommends for inclusion or deletion in the updated specifications. Where changes are proposed, provide pertinent reference or technical information and documents in support of proposed changes. Base proposed changes on current VA Policies, Design Manuals and Directives; current design practices; the latest industry trends, federal government mandates for energy and water conservation and sustainability. Use CSI Master Format 2016 numbers and titles. PG-18-3 specifies all codes and Standards currently followed by VA for its construction projects. Add reference to VHA Master Construction Specification 01 81 13, Sustainable Construction Requirements in each section. Specify sustainability requirements like VOC contents and recycled content of products or systems in each specification section. Comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and all other applicable laws, regulations and guidelines of authorities having jurisdiction and VA convention. Refer to http://www.section508.gov/. Section 508 requires that Federal Agencies electronic and information technology is accessible to people with disabilities. This work includes, but is not limited to, providing aptly descriptive text equivalent for informational non-text elements in documents ( alternate text provide double quotes for non-informational images such as logos), utilizing tables structured/configured as regular, identifying table row and column headers, and using fonts that are readable by assistive technology. Documents delivered in Adobe PDF format must be backward compatible to be viewable by Adobe Reader 7.0, must be tagged, and, with an accessibility report following a full check with all options included, must have no potential accessibility errors identified by Adobe Acrobat Professional version 11.0 or beyond. Any errors identified must be repaired in the original format document to render a clean accessibility report in Adobe Acrobat Professional version 11.0 or beyond. Show units of measurement in the specification sections as metric (SI) units in front of inch-pound (IP) units in brackets. Follow Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Part XI for modifying any existing or developing any new information. See FAR web site http://www.acquisition.gov/far/. Apply VA template to updated sections for standardized text, to control automated paragraph numbering, and to control paragraph styles. Provide succinct, direct and precise language in compliance with the current CSI Specifying Practice Guide. Avoid technical jargon and lengthy or aimless language. Revise specifications to present requirements in imperative mood, active voice language. Avoid subjunctive mood language, and rephrase requirements to eliminate use of the phrase shall be. Use streamlined specification techniques, especially for specifying Part 2, Product Requirements. Provide automatic numbering function for each paragraph and heading in the body of each specification section. VA will provide a format template which contains the VA s Master Specification. Format styles with an automatic numbering function embedded in the template. Edit specifications for consistency including punctuation, paired brackets for specifier editing choices, units of measure, and non-breaking spaces within specification section numbers and reference standards. Proof-read all progress submissions to be free of format, grammar and spelling errors before submitting to VA. Deliver files in docx file format using 2010 version of Microsoft Word. Use track changes in draft submissions to identify proposed changes. Work collaboratively with VA staff to ensure timely and effective communication that will result in consensus on all issues. Include a complete Modification Summary Sheet documenting the changes and updates made to each specification section. Complete one Modification Summary Sheet for each updated specification section. Attached is a copy of Modification Summary Sheet for the Specification Writer s use. The Specification Writer is the prime contact and shall administer all data, communications, tasks, schedules and deliverables of the project. Administrative responsibilities of the Specification Writer include preparing and distributing agenda, minutes, notes and other documentation of meetings, teleconferences, schedule maintenance and other official activities and decisions of project team. Submit updated schedule at each progress submission. Participate in meetings, electronic mailing and telephone/conference calls with VA staff as needed. Submit a proposed project schedule in Microsoft Project or other format acceptable to the VA for review and concurrence at the Kickoff Meeting. Progress review meetings at 50 percent and 90 percent development submissions will be conference call meetings arranged by the Specification Writer. The Kickoff meeting will be a face to face meeting at CFM s headquarters (425 I Street NW, Washington DC 20001). Include FAR 52.246-21, Warranty of Construction clause for the warranty requirements in each section. Use industry norm extended warranties for products/systems where applicable. Verify that each document updated and newly created has its document properties information completed as follows for the following title fields: Title: (title of section with identifying number) Subject: (Master Construction Specifications) Author: (Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Acquisition Logistics and Construction, Office of Construction and Facilities Management, Office of Facilities Planning, Facilities Standards Service) Company: (Department of Veterans Affairs) This information shall be provided as a minimum at the time of final submission. DELIVERABLES AND SCHEDULE Three (3) progress submissions (50 percent development, 90 percent development, and pre-final), and one (1) final 100 percent submission of all revised documents are required. Identify corrections to be completed at each submission phase within quality assurance plan. Submission must be received at CFM in Washington, DC (425 I St. NW) at least fourteen (14) calendar days prior to the corresponding progress conference call. Provide the following: To start with submit sample one section with specified template; proceed with the remaining work after the approval of sample section. For the 50 percent, 90 percent and pre-final submissions provide VA with two (2) sets of printed copies in two ring binders, and one set of electronic files of the documents; each specification section shall include two versions: one version shall include all track changes in color and one clean version with all track changes accepted. For the 100 percent final submission, provide two (2) sets of printed copies, and one set of electronic files of the documents in docx and PDF file formats. Provide final documents only after the COR accepts the pre-final submission. The pre-final and 100 percent final submissions shall include a printed (binder) and Microsoft Word electronic file of the completed Modification Summary Sheet documenting the changes and updates made to each specification section. Contract term for this Task Order: 120 calendar days from the notice to proceed date.
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/VA/vacoofmae/vacoofmae/VA10117N0387/listing.html)
 

Document(s)

Attachment
 

File Name: VA101-17-N-0387 VA101-17-N-0387.docx (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=3454279&FileName=VA101-17-N-0387-000.docx)

Link: https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=3454279&FileName=VA101-17-N-0387-000.docx

 

Note: If links are broken, refer to Point of Contact above or contact the FBO Help Desk at 877-472-3779.
 

Record

SN04490037-W 20170430/170428234740-8d7a68c6b834b1cda35055d00a10daf5 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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