Active

Contract Opportunity

Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) are an official government contracting resource for small businesses. Find your local PTAC (opens in new window) for free government expertise related to contract opportunities.

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT AND NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) seeks to determine the availability of small business firms within North American Classification Industry System Code 541350 (Building Inspection Services) and the Small Business Size Standard of $11.5M to provide inspection and quality assurance services.

It is the Government's intention to award an Indefinite-Delivery Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contract. Task Orders issued against the IDIQ contract will be Firm-Fixed-Price.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

The NIH is the Federal Government's primary biomedical research agency. The NIH's mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce the burdens of illness and disability. Composed of 27 Institutes and Centers, the NIH provides leadership and financial support to researchers in every state and throughout the world.

The NIH Office of Research Facilities (ORF) is responsible for the oversight of the design, construction, repair and renovation of all NIH facilities and infrastructure. ORF is conducting market research to determine the availability of small businesses capable of providing inspection and quality assurance support services to manage the construction.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The NIH seeks a highly qualified, credentialed contractor with proven experience to provide Inspection and Quality Assurance Support Services in support of this mission.

Location - NIH Facilities and Infrastructure projects under this contract are in the Washington, DC – Baltimore metropolitan area, including:

• Main Campus, Bethesda, MD;


• Animal Center, Poolesville, MD;


• Leased facilities in Bethesda, Rockville, Gaithersburg, and Baltimore, MD;


• The Integrated Research Facility, Frederick, MD


• Gerontology Research Center (GRC), Baltimore, MD.


• Potential sites at Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton, MT; and North Carolina (Research Triangle Park).

NIH Facilities and Infrastructure projects include, but are not limited to, the following types of spaces:

• 563+ support areas to include Bio-Safety Level BSL-2, BSL-3, and BSL4 laboratories.


• General or highly specialized animal spaces and all associated support areas.


• Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) rated facilities.


• Office, administrative, public and all associated support areas.


• Interior and exterior utility systems including chiller and steam plants, electrical vaults, etc.


• General Purpose areas such as paving, roofing, building exteriors, hardscaping, and utility efficiency upgrades to mechanical, electrical and architectural systems.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INSPECTION & QUALITY ASSURANCE SUPPORT SERVICES

Inspection & Quality Assurance Support Services:

The Contractor shall use expertise and knowledge of construction practices, means & methods to conduct Quality Assurance Inspections to review and monitor the construction work performed and ensure compliance with the construction contract documents, inclusive of the following associated Quality Assurance Support services:

• Meetings - Schedule, attend, conduct and document as may be required, construction related meetings attended by the Government, Constructor, and/or other interested parties, to discuss technical issues, procedures, progress, problems, coordination, scheduling and/or other appropriate matters.


• Daily Inspection Report(s) (DIR) / Progress Records – Provide Daily Inspection Report(s) of all events that occur at the construction site which affect, or may be expected to affect, project progress.


• Photographs - Provide photographic records of construction work in progress as part of the Daily Inspection Report, documenting significant events or conditions that occur on the construction site.


• Non-conformance Notices (NCN) - Notify the Constructor and PO in writing within 24 hours of QA inspection(s) when work that does not conform to the contract requirements and requires correction; conversely, notify the PO when the corrective work is completed.


• Safety Monitoring – During construction inspections, monitor compliance by the Constructor with contractual safety requirements and construction site safety.


• Earned Value Support - Evaluate the percentage of completion of construction to aid in evaluating contractor payment applications.


• Stored Items Inspections - Conduct inspection of stored items, if required.


• Record Documents Support - Verify that the Constructor is maintaining up-to date contract record documents.


• Punchlist Inspections - Assist with Pre-Final and Final Acceptance inspections.


• Shutdown Support - Assist with facilitating / coordinating utility shutdown requests in support of the construction.


• As-Builts Support - Assist in review of the Constructor’s As-Built drawings to ensure that they are maintained and accurate & updated prior to turn over to the A/E.


• Schedule Support - Review and monitor the construction schedule and notify the Government if the Constructor is behind schedule.


• Commissioning Support – As required, participate in the Commissioning process to include, but not limited to the general following activities:
  
  
  
  • 
    
    
    
    • Collaborate with the Commissioning Agent (CxA) in execution of the Commissioning Process
    
    
    • Attend Commissioning Meetings
    
    
    • Review of construction documentation in support of the Commissioning process, if required.
    
    
    • Review Functional testing procedures and Functional Performance Tests (FPT's), if required.
    
    
    • Collaborate with CxA in the execution of Functional Performance Testing.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  

• Observe 3rd Party Testing / Inspections – Observe testing / inspections to include, but not limited to, the following:
  
  
  
  
  • 
    
    
    
    • Soils type, compaction, drainage, perk, etc.
    
    
    • Concrete and precast concrete strength, reinforcing, slump, w/c ratio, etc.
    
    
    • Structural steel connections and welding, steel decking, applied fireproofing.
    
    
    • Roofing type, leaks, thermal imaging
    
    
    • Curtain walls/glazing water infiltration, seals, thermal imaging, etc.
    
    
    • Building envelopes water infiltration, thermal imaging, etc.
    
    
    • Electrical panel loading, tracing power distribution, etc.
    
    
    • HVAC equipment operation/functioning
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  

Testing, Adjusting and Balancing (TAB) services:

As needed, the contractor shall provide air and water flow measurements for specific areas which will be identified with associated drawings at the time of request. The contractor shall document type of controls used for HVAC systems (DDC, pneumatic or other) and document all observations which might shed the light on any potential problems for the future lab renovation and re-balancing.

For each module requested the contractor shall measure and document the following:

Supply & Exhaust:

1. Measure air flow in “as is” condition.


2. Measure air flow with the fully open damper/ terminal box.


3. Return damper/ terminal box in original position.


4. Indicate if any adjacent areas will be affected by the re-balancing of the module in scope.


5. If one module is served by the duct splitting into adjacent module, which is not in scope, measure and document an overall air flow for the module not in scope in “as is” condition only.


6. Measure fume hood exhaust(s) in “as is” condition only.


7. Provide static pressure measurements on the inlet of each terminal device

Reheat Hot Water and Chilled Water:

1. Measure water flow for each device located in the area of work.


2. Indicate pipe size serving each device.

Electrical Metering Services:

As needed, the contractor shall provide detail metering information for designated panels [panel xxx, facility # xxx] and document all observations as detailed below. The metering equipment shall be properly calibrated with all required accessories. The contractor should have sufficient metering equipment available to conduct these services for up to 3 projects with 2 panels each simultaneously.

1. Each panel shall be metered with minimum of [30] days continuously, 15 minutes demand interval. Panel meters shall be installed and record simultaneously. Submit [two (2)] reports for each metered equipment: metering report after seven [7] days recording and thirty [30] days recording.


2. Submit the metering reports and the meter record document (electronic file from meter).


3. The metering reports shall include a summary for each panel with the equipment names, normal voltage, duration, demand power usage (maximum, average, minimum) for each phase such as kW, kVA, kVAR, power factor, amperage.


4. The metering reports shall also include the graphical presentation or detail usage with the record time for each panel/equipment with the demand power usage (maximum, average, minimum) for each phase such as kW, kVA, kVAR, power factor, amperage.


5. In addition to the panel metering reports, Contractor shall provide a summary and photos of the findings of the panel/equipment.
   
   
   
   1. The panel/equipment summary to include the panel/equipment condition, kAIC rating, main breaker size (frame and trip), main feeder wire size.
   
   
   2. Photograph for each panel/equipment and all information in the photograph shall be legible.
      
      
      
      1. Panel/equipment overall (interior and exterior)
      
      
      2. Panel/equipment manufacturer nameplate if available (including the manufacturer, catalog number, voltage, wire, amps) and main breaker nameplate (including settings, frame, and trip settings).
      
      
      3. Panel interior device status (without the cover to view the branch protected device nameplate, status and wiring).
      
      
      4. Panel schedule.
      
      
      
      
   
   
   
   


6. Provide circuit tracing within the area of work for [power and lighting]. Circuit tracing result shall include a sketch of the area of work with the device and circuit information such as panel and circuit number.

Other Inspection and Testing Services:

As needed, the contractor shall provide other testing and inspection services including, but not limited to, vibration testing, x-ray or ground penetrating radar services.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Firms with capabilities to perform the services described in this Sources Sought announcement are invited to submit the following:

- Letter of Interest - The Letter of Interest shall not exceed two (2) pages and shall contain at a minimum the following information:

1. Company Contact Information to include:

• Firm Name


• Primary Point(s) of Contact, with telephone number(s) and email address(es)


• Firm Mailing Address and Telephone Number


• Company's NAICS Code and Small Business Classification (i.e. Large business, Small business, Woman­ owned, Veteran, etc.)


• DUNS Number


• If applicable, interested 8(a) firms shall state their current 8(a) certification data with the Small Business Administration.


• If applicable, HubZone small business firms responding must provide proof of their HubZone certification status.

2. Brief description of the firm's core services.

- Qualification Statement

The Qualification Statement shall not exceed fifteen (15) pages and shall contain at a minimum the following information:

1. Provide no more than six (6) similar projects performed within the last ten (10) years, or in progress, which best demonstrate your firm's experience providing Inspection and Quality Assurance Support Services on projects similar to the NIH requirement.

2. At a minimum, the six (6) similar projects shall describe one research laboratory project and one infrastructure project, as defined below.

3. Similar Projects to the NIH Requirement are defined as projects similar in complexity, type and size, as follows:

- Facility Types include:

• Clinical and patient care units and all related areas to include general, surgical and specialized hospital spaces.


• General or highly specialized biomedical research laboratory spaces and all associated support areas to include Bio­safety level BSL­2, BSL­3, and BSL­4 laboratory.


• General or highly specialized animal spaces and all associated support areas.


• Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) rated facilities


• Office, administrative, public and all associated support areas.


• Interior and exterior utility systems including chiller and steam plants, electrical vaults, etc.


• General Purpose areas such as paving, roofing, building exteriors, hardscaping, and utility efficiency upgrades to mechanical, electrical and architectural systems.

- Complexity - Special considerations, to include, but not limited to:

• Physical Security restrictions / limitations / requirements


• Anti­Terrorism / Force Protection (AT / FP) restrictions / requirements


• Special / Interim Life Safety measures


• Construction Risk Assessments


• Occupied space(s) restrictions/ limitations


• Access restrictions


• Off­hours working requirements


• Vibration / noise / access limitations


• Hazardous Materials Abatement / Remediation


• Joint Commission requirements (for hospital)


• Special Area restrictions, i.e. infectious or immune compromised areas within a hospital space

- Size ­ Projects with construction costs ranging between $100,000 and $50,000,000.

For each Similar Project narrative include the following information:

• Contract Number


• Owner and Address


• Brief description of the Project, including facility size (square footage) and construction value.


• Description of Inspection and Quality Assurance Support Services performed, including:


• Type of Quality Assurance service(s) provided


• Describe any specialized or Third Party services provided, if any.


• Special conditions, codes, standards and /or requirements


• Inspection and Quality Assurance Support Services Contract Price and Period of Performance.


• Technical Point of Contact, with telephone no. and email address


• Contracting Official, with telephone no. and email address

All qualified interested firms are requested to submit an electronic copy of their Letter of Intent and Qualification Statement, via email, to the Contracting Officer, Mr. Matthew Gilliard at: matthew.gilliard@nih.gov

DISCLAIMER AND IMPORTANT NOTES: This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in responses. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published on Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information shall be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).

Attachments/Links