Federal Emergency Management Agcy, Acquisition Operations Division, 500 C Street, S.W., Room 350, Washington, DC 20472

C -- TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND RESEARCH CONTRACT SOL EMW-1999-RP-0014 DUE 020599 POC Contract Specialist: Dao Phan (202) 646-2760 or by email -- dao.phan@fema.gov E-MAIL: Click here to contact the Contracting Officer via, dao.phan@fema.gov. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) intends to award an indefinite quantity task order contract. FEMA requires technical expertise to provide technical assistance, guidance, and develop reports. These techncial services must be performed under the supervision of a licensed architect or engineer. However, an interdisciplinary team is frequently required to address the engineering, architectural, economic, land management, planning, environmental and other issues associated with reducing the losses from natural hazards. Offerors shall be expected to provide expert engineering knowledge of the loads and damages to the built environment from natural hazards that include floods, hurricanes and typhoons, earthquakes, and tsunamis. This expert knowledge is needed for field investigations, research, and engineering analysis for two separate types of tasks. Both tasks, as described below, will normally involve a formal written report, booklet or manual to FEMA. These written documents are widely distributed and must undergo a stringent quality control process for both the engineering and the technical editing. The selected firm shall be required to execute two separate types of tasks of equal importance. These tasks are: Task 1) Problem-focused studies and Task 2) Post-disaster forensic engineering investigations. This contract will be awarded as an indefinite delivery indefinite quantity, five-year contract. The annual funding for services is expected to vary based on natural disaster activity and the need for post-disaster investigations. During the possible 5-year period of this contract, FEMA expects to procure between $5 million to $10 million in services. Task 1) Problem Focused Studies. This task will normally result in a report or publication as part of a continuing effort to reduce disaster losses. This type of task will normally involve a literature search, considerable research and the task is completed over a six-month or longer period. Past efforts include reaching diverse audiences withtechnical advice. The following are examples of previous work intended to reach different audiences. Homeowners are the audience for Homeowner's Guide to Retrofitting, Six Ways To Protect Your House From Flooding, which explains risk identification, decision-making, and construction alternatives to homeowners. The general public is the audience for the one-page fact sheets for mitigation measures, which are available through the FEMA website and from fax-on-demand. Publications are also produced that give specific advice to technical audiences, including design professionals, on natural hazard risks and how to design and plan to address these risks. In the future, FEMA expects to continue to reach different audiences with technical information using different methods of technology transfer. Task 2) Post-Disaster Forensic Engineering Investigations. This task involves fielding a forensic engineering team of nationally recognized experts, local experts, FEMA personnel and State representatives to quickly identify the causes of disaster damages and recommend how these can be avoided in the future. These deployments are called Building Performance Assessment Team (BPAT) deployments. This task requires a high state of readiness that includes the capability to place a team in the field with 48 hours following the declaration of a disaster by the President. In the post-disaster investigation, the engineering, field visits and the reports must usually be completed in a 3-6 month time. These findings from these forensic engineering investigations normally include recommendations that are addressed to public officials, design professionals and others. These publications frequently affect reconstruction after a major disaster and can influence public policy on a national level. These reports are widely distributed and are subject to intense scrutiny. It is FEMA's intention to continue to use an existing contract to procure these services until August 1999. After this date, needed forensic engineering services would be acquired under this contract. This task also includes annual funding for maintaining a database of national experts (BPAT database), updating the FEMA BPAT website, producing a BPAT newsletter on a quarterly basis, and otherwise maintaining readiness for BPAT deployments. Submittals will be in conformance with the provisions of PL 92-582 (Brooks Act) and based on the following criteria and evaluation points: (1) PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS (20 POINTS.) The contractor will need to provide skills in the following disciplines. These skills will normally be national experts or senior level. There will be an occasional need for first and mid-level skills. The number in parenthesis () next to the skill indicates the estimated maximum number of personnel per skill which may be required at any one time. The expected national expert skill usage is estimated at 40 %, senior level 40%, mid level 10% and first level 10%. A national expert shall possess either a professional registration and a minimum of twelve (12) yearsexperience in their field of expertise or a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree or equivalent and twelve (12) years of experience in their field of expertise. In edition they shall be influential in their field as indicated by publications in peer-reviewed technical journals and participation in committees and/or subcommittees of professional societies. A Senior Level professional shall possess either a professional registration and a minimum of twelve (12) years experience in their field of expertise or a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree or equivalent and twelve (12) years of experience in their field of expertise. A mid Level professional shall require a BS degree or equivalent and a minimum of five (5) years of experience in their field of expertise. A First Level professional shall require a BS degree or equivalent and a minimum of two (2) years of experience in their field of expertise. The skills are: Archaeologist (2); Architect (15); Biologist (2); Building Code Specialists (3); Civil Engineer (20); Coastal Engineer (4); Computer application developer (1); Computer Website master (1); Computer database manager (1); Construction Estimator (20); Draftsman (6); Electrical Engineer, transmission and distribution, generation, building (3); Construction Inspector (20); Dam Engineer (3); Earthquake Engineer (5); Economist (5); Engineering Technician (10); Environmental Engineer (5); Environmental Planner (1); Facilitator (10); Financial Analyst (3); Flood Insurance Adjuster (12); Floodplain Management Specialist (5); Geologist (5); General Planner (1); Geographical Information Systems Specialist (10); Geotechnical Engineer (10); Graphic Artist (6); Hydrologist (6); Insurance Specialist (1); Mechanical Engineer (3); Principal (1); Program Manager (2); Real Property Appraiser (20); Sanitary Engineer (10); Seismologist (2); Social Scientist (1)Statistician (2); Structural Engineer (15); Surveyor (6); Surveying Technician (6); Technical Writer (6);Volcanologist (1); Wind Engineer (5), and Word Processor (6). (2) SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE AND TECHNICAL COMPETENCE (25 POINTS). In addition to having extensive knowledge of natural hazards protective design and construction practices in hazard-prone areas, the offeror must demonstrate successful corporate experience or experience which is similar to the following (tasks are listed in descending order of importance): a) Successful corporate experience in engineering, architecture, land-use planning and other disciplines related to hazard mitigation; b) Provide the necessary technical expertise of nationally recognized technical experts to evaluate buildings, structures and infrastructure damaged as a result of a disaster; c) Demonstrate ability to rapidly mobilize and deploy a hazard-specific and interdisciplinary team of engineers, planners, scientists and other professionals well versed in hazard mitigation principles and practices; d) Demonstrate strong project management skills to monitor and complete projects on schedule; e) Demonstrate forensic engineering capabilities related to investigating disaster-damaged buildings. This includes using visual inspection, photographs, calculations, testing, and other methods to clearly identify the cause of failure. f) Ability to identify and categorize the damage to disaster damaged buildings and other facilities on a wide geographic basis. This includes identifying field survey methods using aerial overflights and other wide-area survey techniques. g) Capability to broadly research engineering, construction and land-use practices to determine current design and construction practices. h) Adequate resources to handle multiple disaster related forensic engineering deployments without interfering with problem-focused hazard mitigation studies i) Knowledge of all areas in building construction, such as design, construction, building codes, inspection, maintenance, land-use planning and others, that contribute to disaster resistant buildings; j) Demonstrate an understanding of the roles of various groups involved in construction inhazard-prone areas (e.g., state and local building code and planning officials, builders, developers and property owners) and demonstrate an ability to relate the often-opposing concerns to pertinent mitigation issues, and k) Demonstrate the capability to produce technical documents for a broad range of audiences that is professional written, edited, and formatted and which utilizes computer graphics. (3) CAPACITY TO ACCOMPLISH WORK WITHIN REQUIRED TIME (20 POINTS). Under Task 2, Post-disaster, forensic engineering investigations, the offeror must demonstrate the ability to deploy a team or group of teams after multiple disasters or disasters that impact large areas. These deployments will begin within 48 hours of notification and may require fielding up to 50 professionals from within the skills listed under Criteria (1), concurrently, for two months. Readiness for this deployment by maintaining an up-to-date roster of qualified contractor personnel as well as maintaining an up-to-date roster of national experts who can be deployed to the field. In support of Task 1, the offerer must demonstrate the capability to produce technical publications with established deadlines that are technically adequate, well edited and contain illustrative graphics. (4) PAST PERFORMANCE (15 POINTS). Past performance on contracts with Government agencies and private industry in terms of cost control, quality work and compliance with performance schedules. Submittals must include references' names, affiliations and telephone numbers. The government reserves the right to use information outside of the response in evaluating past performance. (5) GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION (10 POINTS). In order to facilitate the management and minimize travel expenses, the offeror shall have an adequately staffed and equipped office located within the Washington, DC Metropolitan area. An adequately staffed office is defined as one that is capable of performing satisfactorily the necessary operational and administrative tasks (task order assignment coordination, personnel, finance and accounting, logistics, communications, etc.) to sustain the contractor's field representatives for the duration of the contract. (6) CAPACITY TO PRODUCE TECHNICAL REPORTS. (10 Points) The offeror shall demonstrate the ability to produce high-quality technical reports for technical audiences as well as for non-technical audiences, that includes public officials and other decision-makers. This shall include producing reports (text, graphics, photographs and other materials) in an electronic format that meets Government Printing Office requirements. The offeror shall demonstrate an appropriate quality control process for both the technical contents as well as the editing of these technical reports. The offeror shall provide copies of agreements that specify the terms of any prime/subcontractor relationships or joint venture arrangements. The evaluation and selection of firms will be in accordance with the procedures for acquisition of A&E services, set forth in Part 36 ofthe Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR). Firms interested in performing this work are to submit one (1) original and six (6) copies of their Standard Forms (SFs) 254 and 255 showing project experience and personnel who will perform the work. Offerors are forewarned that strict adherence to the submission instructions shall be enforced. Engineering firms that are interested in performing the work must submit SFs 254 and 255. Firms that will not perform all work in-house must identify subcontractors in their submittal. The portion of the submittal relating to the "prime" firm must not exceed sixty pages, front side only. It is recommended that all submittals, to include portions from subcontractors, use a type pitch that is twelve characters per inch for ease of reading and evaluation. All pages following the first sixty pages will be discarded upon receipt. The portion of the submittal relating to subcontractors must not exceed fourteen pages per subcontractor, front side only. All pages following the first fourteen pages for each subcontractor will be discarded upon receipt. All other material such as brochures or samples of work will be discarded upon receipt. Joint ventures must include a copy of the legal joint venture agreement signed by an authorized officer from each of the firms comprising the joint venture with the chief executive officer of each entity identified. Copies of agreements between firms participating in a prime/subcontractor relationship must also be included in the submittal. The joint venture and the prime/subcontractor documents will not be subject to the page limitation set forth for the SFs 254 and 255. All interested large firms are reminded that the successful firm will be expected to place subcontracts to the maximum practicable extent with small and disadvantaged firms in accordance with Public Law 95-507. If a large business firm is selected, a small business subcontracting plan, describing how it will manage their subcontractors and ensure quality control, will be required prior to award. All firms interested in applying for work must submit new SFs 254 and 255 regardless of prior submittal. Firms using subcontractors must submit separate SFs 254 and 255 for each subcontractor. Qualifications of subcontractors will be considered only in the evaluation for rating criteria #1,#2, and #3 as appropriate. The government intends to enter into a voluntary partnership arrangement with the awardees and its subcontractors on this procurement. Our objective is to identify and achieve reciprocal goals, ensure effective and efficient contract performance, and resolve disputes in a timely, professional and non-adversarial manner through the use of voluntary Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) methodologies. Responses must reference # EMW-1999-RP-0014 on the face of all forms. No other announcement is anticipated in FY 1999. To assure consideration, all information must be received by the Contracting Office (ATTENTION: Dao Phan no later than 3:00 p.m. local time at FEMA, 500 C Street, SW, Room 350, Washington, DC 20472, on 02/05/1999. Late submission will be subject to the provisions of Part 14.304 of the FAR. This is not a Request for Proposal. Posted 12/17/98 (W-SN281583). (0351)

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