National Park Service (NPS), Denver Service Center (DSC) 12795 West Alameda Parkway, P.O. Box 25287, Denver, Colorado 80225

C -- INDEFINITE QUANTITY CONTRACT FOR DESIGN SERVICES FOR NEW LIBERTY BELL COMPLEX AND MISCELLANEOUS SMALL DESIGN PROJECTS IN INDEPENDENCE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA SOL 1443-CX-2000-98-026 POC Point of Contact -- Edward Tafoya, Contracting Officer 303/969-2116 E-MAIL: National Park Service, Denver Service Center, contracts_dsc@nps.gov. The National Park Service (NPS), Denver Service Center, is seeking a qualified firm or organization (team) to provide Architect / Engineer (A/E) services under an indefinite quantity contract for the design of a new Liberty Bell Complex, including interpretive exhibits, on Independence Mall located in Independence National Historical Park (INHP) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Possible additional future work under this contract may involve design services for demolition work, site restoration, site design, utility connections and support facilities in the Park. A/E services for major facilities proposed for construction on Independence Mall, such as the Gateway Visitor Center, Independence Park Institute, and National Constitution Center, will be provided under separate design contracts. All work under this contract also will be guided by NPS policies, directives, and the Independence National Historical Park General Management Plan, and will require coordination with various review and planning entities. All work on the Independence Mall portion of INHP must be coordinated with the features and requirements of the landscape design for the Mall being developed under a separate NPS contract, and must comply with the parameters defined in the Independence Mall Master Plan and Design Guidelines established by the National Park Service. A copy of the master plan and draft design guidelines are available at a cost of $20.00 and may be requested from the contracting office listed for this advertisement. The Liberty Bell is a national treasure, an internationally recognized symbol of freedom, and the number one tourist destination in Philadelphia, receiving approximately 1.7 million visitors each year. Accordingly, NPS is seeking complete A/E design services with the A/E team that best demonstrates a commitment to overall (functional and aesthetic) design excellence, while providing a viable team organization with relevant project experience in memorial / commemorative architecture, contextual design, interpretiveplanning and design, communication of interpretive and educational information to multinational audiences, visitor circulation management, and has familiarity and project experience with the climatic and cultural contexts of Philadelphia. The new Liberty Bell Complex will be located on the western third of the same block of Independence Mall as the present Liberty Bell Pavilion. The new location is in close proximity to Independence Hall, a World Heritage Site. While the new Liberty Bell Complex is to be a contemporary expression of excellence in public architecture, it must also respect and defer to the importance, scale and character of Independence Hall. Accordingly, the A/E must demonstrate understanding and sensitivity to the full spectrum of National Park Service values and standards for both cultural and natural resource protection including sustainable design principles and practices. As currently envisioned, the new complex will be comprised of a 2,500 square foot bell viewing chamber, a 3,500 square foot exhibit room, and a 2,000 square foot interpretive queuing arcade. The new facility must provide absolute security for the Liberty Bell while concurrently providing accessibility, inspiration and education to millions of visitors annually. The proposed design services for the new Liberty Bell Complex will be performed under an ambitious time schedule requiring a design team that can provide high levels of collaboration, creativity, competence, experience, and responsiveness. The selected firm must be capable of providing and managing a multidisciplinary team from within the firm or in conjunction with subconsultants, and must through its team associations have a physical presence in Philadelphia to expedite briefings, meetings, approvals, and coordination with other concurrent design and construction projects underway on Independence Mall. All services will be provided under an indefinite quantity contract. The term of the contract shall be one year with four one-year options. The A/E is guaranteed a minimum amount of $25,000 during the life of the contract. The maximum fee potential for this contract shall not exceed $2,000,000 per contract year, with a maximum fee of $4,000,000 during the life of the contract. The anticipated range of services under this indefinite quantity contract may include the following: (a) Title I Services; Park planning studies and analyses (i.e. historic resource, socioeconomic, and interpretive), investigation of existing conditions and available site surveys, visitor management and special events planning, schematic design, design development, preliminary drawings, design analysis, building energy analysis, utility economic analysis, energy conservation and life cycle costing, value engineering, outline specifications, preliminary cost estimates, and hazardous materials surveys, testing and abatement; (b) Title II Services; preparation of construction specifications, working drawings, construction cost estimates, bidding documents, and preparation of hazardous materials abatement plans and specifications; (c) Title III Services; construction observation and other construction management services, review of submittals, site visits, consultation services during construction, and preparation of Operation and Maintenance Manuals. 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 is a partnership, corporation, association, or other entity that will have contractual responsibility for the project design and construction management. The A-E firm and all applicable consultants will be licensed to practice architecture in the State of Pennsylvania. The Lead Designers as used in this RFQ include both a Lead Architectural Designer and a Lead Interpretive Designer. The Lead Architectural Designer is the individual or design studio that will have primary responsibility to conceive the design concept and the building's architecture. The Lead Interpretive Designer is the individual or design studio that will have primary responsibility to conceive the design concepts for the interpretive program. Close coordination is required between the Lead Designers to ensure full, sensitive, and creative integration of the interpretive program with the building_s design concept and architecture. The Lead Designers must demonstrate their ability to collaboratively provide design excellence in the following areas: design of similar facilities (buildings or facilities of high public significance and similar scale, accommodating significant annual visitation, providing access and security to treasured items, etc.), design if similar interpretive experiences (commemoration and interpretation of a national or international icon, communicating interpretive and educational information to multinational audiences, creatively managing visitor volume and circulation, etc.) design with similar conditions (relating to historical context, acting with other buildings to form a cohesive public urban space, complying with established master plan and design guidelines, etc.). The A-E firm must address the contractual relationship with the Lead Designers and its ability to manage the design, production of construction documents and construction management of this project. The A-E selection will be completed in two stages as follows (note: A/E firms should follow the following instructions/procedures in lieu of the instructions contained in Standard Forms 254 and 255): Stage I: Interested firms will submit portfolios of examples of work that establish the design capabilities of the A/E firm and their lead architectural and lead interpretive designers. All documentation will be in an 8-1/2 " x 11" format. The portfolio should include the following: A.) A cover letter referencing the CBD announcement and briefly describing the firm and its location, organizational makeup, and noteworthy accomplishments, B.) Standard Forms 254 (Architect-Engineer and Related Services Questionnaire), and SF 255 (Architect-Engineer and Related Services Questionnaire for Specific Project). Identification of consultants is not required at this stage. C). Concise response to the following submission requirements and evaluation criteria: (1) Past Performance on Design: The A-E firm will submit graphics (maximum of three pages per project) and a typewritten description (maximum of two pages per project) of not more than five projects completed by the firm in the last ten years. The narrative shall address the design approach with salient features for each project and discuss how the client's program, functional, image, mission, economic, schedule, and operational objectives were satisfied by the overall design/planning solution. Include tangible evidence where possible such as certificates, awards, peer recognition, etc., demonstrating design excellence. Provide a client reference contact for each project, including name, title, address, phone, and fax numbers. A portion of one page, presented for each project must include a representative floor plan and either a site plan or a building section. (2) Philosophy and Design Intent: In the words of the Lead Architectural Designer and Lead Interpretive Designer, (maximum of two typewritten pages each) state his/her overall design philosophy and approach to design problem solving, in general and as it relates to this project. (3) Lead Architectural Designer and Lead Interpretive Designer Profile: Submit a biographical sketch including education, professional experience, recognition for design efforts inclusive of examples. Identify and describe areas of responsibility and commitment to each project. (4) Lead Architectural Designer and Lead Interpretive Designer Portfolio: Submit a portfolio representative of each Lead Designer's ability to provide design excellence. Submit graphics (maximum of three pages per project) and a typewritten description (maximum of two pages per project) of not more than three projects completed in the last ten years. The narrative shall address the design philosophy with salient features for eachproject and discuss how the client's program, functional, image, mission, economic, schedule, and operational objectives were satisfied by the overall design/planning solution. Include tangible evidence where possible such as certificates, awards, peer recognition, etc., demonstrating design excellence. Where there is duplication with projects cited for the firm_s experience under criterion (1) above, the Lead Designer(s) will address his/her(their) specific participation in the project under this criterion. The submissions will be evaluated by a panel consisting of representatives of the National Park Service and the City of Philadelphia. Other stakeholders, and/or a private sector peer may participate as advisors to the panel. The panel will establish a short list of three to six firms. Stage II: 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. The firms will be required to complete Standard Forms 254 and 255 that reflect the entire design team. The Government will establish and provide the short- listed firms with the detailed evaluation criteria for Stage II, the date these submittals are due, and the date and time period scheduled for a technical interview. Sufficient time will be provided for the A-E design firm/Lead Designers to establish their full team. After reviewing submittals describing the full team, the selection panel will interview each team, preferably at their Philadelphia Office or office of a key Philadelphia consultant on the team. Candidates should be prepared to discuss all aspects of the Stage II evaluation criteria and to demonstrate the ability to fulfill all project requirements. Emphasis of the technical interview will be placed on the unique aspects of the Liberty Bell Complex, design philosophy, willingness to work within the established master plan and design guidelines, possible approaches in carrying out the project, and project management. STAGE I SUBMITTALPROCEDURES: Firms having the capabilities to perform the services described in this announcement are invited to respond by submitting completed SF-254's (for the A-E Design Firm"), which must be dated not more than twelve(12) months before the date of this synopsis, and SF-255 (for the "A-E Design Firm") along with letter of interest TO: Contracting Services, National Park Service, Denver Service Center, 12795 West Alameda Parkway, Denver, Colorado 80225. The following information MUST be on the outside of the sealed envelope 1) Solicitation Number/Title, 2) Due Date, 3) Closing Time. Responses must be received before 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time Zone, 30 calendar days from the date of this publication (first work day following a weekend or holiday) in order to be considered for selection. Late responses are subject to FAR Provision 52.214-7. In Block 8 of the SF-254 specify only current W-2 payroll (non-contract) personnel of each firm. In Block 10 of the SF-255, the A-E Design Firm MUST respond to the FOUR (4) EVALUATION CRITERIA stated in the CBD announcement for this STAGE I Solicitation. In BLOCK 11 of the SF-255, the A-E Firm MUST sign, name, title and date the submittal. In support of the sustainable practices of resource conservation and material recycling, submissions should be concise, make wise use of recycled/recyclable paper and other materials, and be organized in such a manner that the recyclable material can be easily removed after evaluation. To the extent possible, printed/copied double-sided paper documents will be submitted. This procurement is open to small and large business and is subject to Public Law 100-656. To the fullest extent, the National Park Services welcomes the participation of small business firms including women and minority owned and operated A/E firms and encourages large business firms to include small business firms as part of their team. If the apparent successful offeror is a large business they will be required to submit a subcontracting plan which will separate percentage goals for using small business concerns and small disadvantaged business concerns subcontractors. The Government will not indemnify the firm selected against liability involving asbestos or other hazardous materials; that is, no clause holding the firm harmless will be included in the Contract. (0044)

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