THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS – FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY The purpose of this Sources Sought notice is to determine availability and capability of qualified Small Businesses, Government Certified 8(a) Businesses, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses, Woman Owned Small Businesses, HUBZone small businesses, or Small Disadvantaged Businesses. Responses to this notice will be used for informational and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation or commitment by the Government. This notice is intended strictly for market research only. Depending on market research and other influences, GSA anticipates issuing a solicitation for this project around Winter/Spring 2024. This is not a request for offers or proposals. The Government does not intend to award a contract based on responses and the Government is not obligated to and will not pay for information received as a result of this announcement. Project Location Howard M. Metzenbaum U.S. Courthouse 201 Superior Ave Cleveland, OH 44114 Project Description This project will take place at the Howard M. Metzenbaum U.S. Courthouse in Cleveland, OH. The Metzenbaum Courthouse, built between 1903 and 1910, is a five-story structure designed in the neoclassical style. It is one of the most significant structures in Cleveland’s downtown cityscape and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The facade is clad with granite and remains essentially the same as when it was originally constructed. Between 2002 and 2005, the courthouse was modernized for the primary use of the Bankruptcy Courts after the District Courts relocated to the newly constructed Stokes Courthouse. The Metzenbaum U.S. Courthouse is located at the center of Cleveland Ohio’s Public Square. This prominent location adds to the building’s status as a Cleveland landmark. The building is surrounded on three sides by a plaza that addresses the Public Square. The plaza is heavily trafficked by pedestrians and supports two priceless Daniel Chester French statues that are part of the GSA’s public art collection. The plaza’s concrete, waterproofing membrane, and most of its supporting steel framing was last replaced in 1972, and the top slab was replaced in 1987. Shoring was installed over a decade ago to support the sidewalk vault structurally and to prevent the public sidewalk from collapsing. Maintenance and repairs are no longer sufficient for preventing water leaks through the plaza. The plaza’s concrete structural slab is failing. Widespread deterioration under the plaza’s structural slab ranges from small spalls to large areas of complete delamination. The damage has gone beyond concrete and reinforcing deterioration to significant loss of structural steel sections. The steel can be restored in some areas but will have to be replaced in others. The elevator lift that serves the mail screening room in the basement must remain operational during the project and will be used by the construction contractor for vertical conveyance. Refurbishment of the lift will be required after the plaza work is completed. The foundation wall’s lack of waterproofing allows moisture and water to infiltrate through several cracks. Waterproofing that was applied in previous slab replacement projects only goes down a few feet below grade and has worn away. The remainder of the foundation wall has no waterproofing. The wall moisture has corroded the full height of the vertical steel channels at the inside face of the wall that are likely a key part of the wall’s strength. The two significant Daniel Chester French statues are located on the south elevation of the building. The statues are supported by both the building exterior wall and the sidewalk slab. Movement and deterioration of the sidewalk slab create a risk of cracking in the statues. The original clay tile floor slab supporting the base of the statues has fallen away, leaving only unreinforced cement topping between the steel beams and the statue base. A new support system needs to be installed to isolate the statues from the sidewalk slab. This project seeks Design Build services for the improvements necessary to repair or replace the plaza and its structural support system for the safety of tenants and visitors and long term stabilization of the property. Delivery Method The General Services Administration (GSA) intends to award a firm fixed-price, Design-Build contract for the Howard M. Metzenbaum U.S. Courthouse Plaza Project project pursuant to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Best Value Design-Build Selection Procedures (FAR Subpart 15.3). GSA envisions a highly collaborative Design-Build delivery approach for this project where the DB contractor works closely with all stakeholders to deliver a project that meets the expectations and needs of the team members and GSA’s requirements to deliver on the requirements of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The IRA will help the United States tackle the climate crisis, advance environmental justice, and secure our Nation’s position as a world leader in domestic clean energy manufacturing. This law puts the United States on a pathway to achieving the Administration’s climate goals, including a net zero operational emissions federal building portfolio by 2045, and net zero emissions procurement by 2050. Federal Energy goal compliance will be defined in the technical POR of the solicitation. The project must comply with the P-100 (Facility Standards for Public Buildings) and all other applicable building codes and standards. The Design-Builder will be selected through a best value/tradeoff selection process. During the development period, from initial concept to final design, the DB will work in close consultation with GSA and various stakeholders to ensure that all of the goals are addressed and that best value practices are utilized. There will be both formal and informal partnering throughout design and construction to promote successful project development and execution including a project kick-off meeting. Scope Summary The design-build scope of work includes all labor and materials required to provide design, engineering, construction, and other related services necessary to replace the plaza of the Howard M. Metzenbaum U.S. Courthouse. The scope of this plaza replacement includes: Replace plaza's concrete slabs Restore the plaza’s structural steel support system Replace the plaza and perimeter foundation wall’s waterproofing systems Repair basement walls damaged from years of water infiltration Re-condition the basement lift that services the mail screening room Replace the structural support system for the Daniel Chester French statues at the main entrance The statues will be removed and returned via a separate contract to an art conservator. The building is listed on the NRHP; therefore all work on the building will be required to comply with the Secretary of The Interior’s Standard for Rehabilitation and shall be performed by a contractor familiar with the standards for work on historic buildings. The contractor should also have extensive experience working while the building remains fully occupied. Options may be presented when the Request for Proposal (RFP) is released. The Design Build contractor will be fully responsible for all design, construction, and value engineering exercises if necessary related to the project. The design for the project will conform to the Federal Building Design Standards, 2021 Facilities Standards for the Public Buildings Service P-100, and other building codes and standards as applicable to this project. The project shall meet the functional requirements of the current tenants, and fulfill policy and regulatory criteria. Designed solutions shall be consistent with the latest objectives of GSA, current and future tenants, and best practices in architectural planning and design. The project is funded under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Size Standard Sources are being sought for firms with a North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) of 236220 - Commercial and Institutional Building Construction. The small business size standard for NAICS code 236220 is $45 million in average annual receipts over the past three (3) years. It is anticipated that the Request For Proposal (RFP) will be posted to Federal Business Opportunities (beta.SAM.gov) during the Fall/Winter of 2024. The awardee will be required to undergo the security clearance process. The full extent of the work will be described in the solicitation when it is posted. No additional information will be available before the solicitation is posted. Responses Firms interested in this effort must be able to demonstrate past experience on at least two but no more than three similar projects, which shall include a description of their experience(s) partnering with architecture/engineering firms on the projects noted. A similar project is defined as a project similar in size, type and complexity. To be considered similar in size, the projects should exceed $20,000,000 for both design and construction phases. Projects must also be completed or substantially completed in the last ten years. The projects should include plaza renovations/upgrades of commercial or government facilities using a Design-Build (DB) delivery method. The schedule for design and construction services should span multiple years. Projects or programs which are for residential use or span multiple sites are considered less similar and will not be considered for the purpose of this market research effort. Capability statements submitted by Small Business Concerns will be evaluated based on the content of their responses, and how well their documented past experience meets the definition of Similar. Only firms who sufficiently detail similar past experience will be considered as competitive for the purpose of this market research effort. Interested Small Business Concerns must fully comply with the requests of the capability statement requirements. Greater consideration will be given to experience more similar in scope to this project to help determine the qualifications and capabilities of small businesses interested in proposing on this project. Interested small business vendors shall submit their capability statement electronically, limited to ten pages. The capability statement shall be sufficient in detail to allow the Government to determine the organization's related qualifications to perform the work. The statement shall include: Business Name Contact information: Point of contact name, Phone number, E-mail address and web address (if available) Business Classification(s) (i.e. SDVOSB, HUBZone, etc.) Active SAM registration printout (single page) - this may be in excess of the 10 pages A statement regarding the company’s interest in performing the work Please provide a narrative including examples of 3 DB projects the firm has worked on as the Prime contractor, completed within the last 10 years, which included scope of work similar to this project. The narrative should demonstrate the firm’s experience and knowledge of the DB delivery method and describe how the submitted projects’ scope was similar to the project being proposed. Similar is defined as a plaza upgrade and/or replacement of comparable size, type and complexity and: Utilized the DB delivery method The schedule for design and construction services spans multiple years; Demonstrates coordination with outside stakeholders, such as utilities, streets closures, public transportation, neighboring buildings and businesses, etc. Demonstrates work on an exterior project with similar climate and urban conditions as the proposed project (Cleveland, OH) Demonstrates working in and around an occupied building; please provide details regarding how your company approached the phasing of the project to ensure minimal disruption to tenant operations and access to the building Projects must be completed or substantially completed in the last ten years Must demonstrate experience working on a historic facility Projects or programs which are for residential use or span multiple sites are considered less similar and will not be considered for the purpose of this market research effort Greater weight and consideration will be given to experience more similar in scope to this project. Companies providing above referenced material are requested to limit their submission to no more than ten pages. Acknowledgment of receipt of responses will not be made, nor will respondents be notified of the Government’s evaluation of the information received. Incomplete responses will not be considered in determining market availability. Responses to this Notice shall be reviewed by the Contracting Officer for the purpose of determining whether there exists reasonable interest and capability. A determination not to complete the proposed procurement based upon responses to this Notice is solely within the discretion of the Government in response to this Notice will be for review purposes only. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. Interested Offerors shall respond to the Sources Sought no later than 4:00 pm Eastern Time on Monday, March 11, 2024, via email to Anna Vanko at
[email protected] . Subject line of the email shall appear as follows: Metzenbaum Plaza DB Sources Sought Response. Oral communications, telecommunications and faxed inquiries or comments are NOT acceptable as a response to this Notice. Only e-mail responses will be accepted.