Department of State, Office of Acquisition, P. O. Box 9115, Rosslyn Station, Arlington, VA 22219-0244

Y -- CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW OFFICE BUILDING IN TUNIS, TUNISIA SOL S-FBOAD-99-R-6004 DUE 012400 POC Mike Larson (703) 875-6687 or facsimile 875-6292 E-MAIL: Tunis NOB, LarsonML@state.gov. The U.S. Department of State (DOS), Office of Foreign Buildings Operations (FBO) is seeking qualified Construction firms for a new office building (NOB) in Tunis, Tunisia. The Chancery complex consists of the chancery and attendant facilities and is configured to accommodate Department of State functions as well as tenant organizations such as Department of Defense, Commerce, Labor and the Foreign Service Institute. The project will include the construction of the chancery and the attendant site facilities to include perimeter security, vehicular and pedestrian access control facilities, parking and other site amenities. The Chancery and its infrastructure will be located on a site of approximately 84,000 square meters in Tunis, Tunisia. The chancery complex will comprise approximately 11,000 gross sq. m. (total of all buildings). The construction cost is estimated in the range of $35 to $55 million. The contract period of performance is 24 to 36 months. The contract type is firm fixed price construction, with a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) submitted at the 60% design stage. The Government's Architect of Record will perform all design. The project solicitation will consist of two phases; this solicitation is for Phase One. As a result of evaluations of submittals for Phase One, three to five firms will be invited to attend and participate in design review meetings at the 35% design stage and a site visit. These firms will only have access to unclassified designs and specifications at this stage. The three to five firms will then be paid a stipend of $25,000 to participate in design review sessions required to review and make comments on the 35% design. The Government is under no obligation to incorporate suggestions and comments into the designs and specifications, and reserves the right to accept or reject any and all comments. Attendance and participation at these meetings is mandatory. Failure to attend any required meetings will remove a firm from consideration for contract award. The qualified contractors, including all entities which comprise a joint venture, must possess or be able to obtain, prior to receipt of the 60% design package, an active Department of Defense (DOD) Secret FCL with Secret safeguarding capability in accordance with the National Industrial Security Operating Manual (NISPOM), DOD 5220.22-M. Appropriately cleared (Secret or Interim Secret) personnel will also be required for this project. Firms, which form joint ventures for the purpose of bidding on this contractual effort and/or for contract performance, must also comply with the facility and personnel security clearance requirements noted herein. Uncleared firms will be sponsored for a Secret facility security clearance (FCL) at the time they are selected as a qualified proposor. Sponsorship does not guarantee that a firm will receive the clearance. The Government will not be obligated to extend its schedule if any of the sponsored firms have not been issued an FCL at the time the 60% design is complete (and access to classifiedinformation is required). The three to five qualified contractors will use the 60% designs and specifications at Phase Two, as the basis of their GMP proposals. The GMP proposals are to be submitted in the formats provided by the Government. The firm with the lowest evaluated GMP will be selected for contract award. At the 100% design stage, the Government will enter into negotiations with the selected firm to establish a firm fixed price. The selected firm is prohibited from exceeding its proposed GMP during these negotiations. The design for this proposed construction contract is currently underway and will include: architecture and urban design; structural, civil, mechanical, electrical, seismic and geotechnical engineering; space planning and systems furniture integration; interior design; security, communications, and RF shielding systems design; blast and fire protection engineering; landscape design; cost estimating; scheduling; value engineering; administrative coordination of the various disciplinesinvolved; and services during construction. U.S. Government codes and requirements, to include UFAS and sustainable design, as well as the applicable laws, codes, and standards of Tunisia (whichever are more stringent) will apply. The Project will be designed and constructed in hard metric (System International) units. The design will be submitted in AutoCad R 13 or 14 files in Department of State format. The scope of construction services under this proposed contract will include: Total construction skills and services to construct a fully finished, functional and operational US Embassy in Tunis, in accordance with construction documents prepared by the Government's Architect of Record and approved by FBO; on site organization and lines of authority to ensure overall project coordination; daily management oversight and coordination with US Government on-site staff, Architect-Engineer representatives, subcontractors, equipment suppliers, materials managers, job site meetings, and submittals from initiation to turnover; quality control and assurance program; and construction scheduling to provide overall control throughout the life of the project. DOS intends to enter into a formal partnering agreement with the selected contractor. Firms responding to this announcement on or before the closing date will be considered for pre-qualification using the following evaluation criteria 100 points maximum: (1) TECHNICAL APPROACH, (a) Business management plan for construction projects that explains the offeror's methodology for decision making, personnel management, team approach, quality control and assurance program, etc. in the execution of contract scope, schedule establishment and cost control and administration, and projected capacity -- 30 points. (b) Offerors must also submit their minority and small business-subcontracting plan -- 10 points. (2) TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS, (a) Offeror's must demonstrate that they have the financial capability and resources to undertake their proposal to accomplish the project within the funding range stated previously and be able to obtain the required performance and payment bonds, or bank letters of credit or guarantee; and must have a total construction business volume of at least equal to the level of their proposal per year in three of the last five years requiring use of the scope of construction services outlined above. Offerors must provide a list of banks or other lending institutions which offeror intends to use in order to finance this project, and provide credit references -- 20 points. (b) Professional qualifications, specialized experience, and technical competence in the construction of similar international projects involving multiple contractor and sub-contractor disciplines. Offerors must demonstrate that they have either individually or collectively accomplished the construction of projects of similar value and complexity. The offerer will be evaluated on the quality of the built projects. (No more than five examples are to be submitted) 15 points. (c) Demonstrated previous record of performing similar projects on schedule while maintaining effective cost and quality control and assurance program. Briefly describe internal quality control and assurance program and cost control procedures and indicate effectiveness by listing the planned and actual construction duration, client's construction budget, design construction estimate, construction award amount, and construction change order rate in tabular form for five recent projects -- 15 points. (d) Demonstrated and experience with projects in the construction of physical and technical security systems for buildings 5 points. (e) Previous experience with overseas projects and experience with projects in the Western Mediterranean or Middle East, and knowledge of similar foreign building codes, standards, and construction practices -- 5 points. Failure to address any one of the foregoing criteria in writing will result in the offeror being removed from further consideration. When responding to criteria (2) b through (2) e above, offerors must list the owner's name, address, telephone number, and contact person for each project. As a means of verification of their ability to meet each of the aforementioned criteria, firms that meet the requirements described in this announcement are invited to submit two copies of the following for Phase One: (a) Technical Approach Plan (b) Technical Qualifications for proposed project personnel (c) Statement of qualifications (U.S. Person) for purposes of Section 402 of the Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1986 P.L. 99-399 (questionnaire forms are available by FAX see below), (d) Construction portfolios which illustrate the firm's capabilities. This is a solicitation for Phase One only. Based on scoring and evaluations of proposals received under the Phase One solicitation, the government will select the three to five most qualified firms to participate in Phase Two. The pre-qualified firms will be asked to submit cost proposals. The cost proposals will be a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) based on the 60% design. The final, fixed price will be negotiated with the successful offeror based on the 100% design package from the Government's Architect of Record. The successful offeror is prohibited from exceeding their proposed GMP during this negotiation. Award of this contract is subject to funding availability. Two copies of submittals must be received by 4:00 p.m. local time, attn: Mr. Mike Larson, on December 22, 1999. U.S. Postal mailing address: Department of State, A/LM/AQM/RA/CON, Construction Branch, Room L-600, P.O. Box 12248, Rosslyn Station, Arlington, VA 22219. Delivery address for Express Mail or Courier: Department of State, A/LM/AQM/RA/CON, Construction Branch, Room L-600, 1701 N. Ft. Myer Dr., 17th Street entrance, Arlington, VA 22219. (The U.S. Postal Service does not deliver to the 1701 N. Ft. Myer address). Request for questionnaire forms and requests for clarification must be submitted in writing to Mike Larson, Telephone Number (703) 875-6687. The fax number for both is (703) 875-6292.***** Posted 12/17/99 (W-SN409632). (0351)

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