Notice of Consulting Services

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West Virginia Department of Transportation, Division of Highways

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

A DESIGN-BUILD PROJECT

State Project U326-2-12.25 00

PURPOSE OF REQUEST
The purpose of this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is to solicit letters of interest and qualifications from firms interested in providing roadway and bridge design services, and construction services necessary for the construction of the WV 2 upgrade project from Cresap to McKefrey in Marshall County. The West Virginia Department of Transportation, Division of Highways, hereinafter referred to as “DOH” will be utilizing the Design-Build method of contracting for this project. The WV 2 project from Cresap to McKefrey is hereinafter referred to as the “Project.” The term “Proposer” as used herein includes a firm or firms, consortia, partnerships, joint ventures, and others.

The DOH will use a two‑step process to select a Proposer with which to execute a contract for this Project. This RFQ represents the first step in the process. After evaluations and scoring of responses to the RFQ, the DOH will invite the three highest scoring Proposers and all others within three points of the lowest scored Proposer of the three highest scores to respond to the Request for Proposals (RFP). In the event less than three proposals are received, the DOH may utilize a smaller number of proposals.

The second step in the process will be to receive a technical proposal and cost proposal from each of the selected Proposers. The selected Proposers will be asked to submit a more detailed proposal in response to the RFP. Information about the format, contents and evaluation criteria for the responses to the RFP will be provided to the selected Proposers. Upon evaluation of the proposals, the selection committee will recommend to the Commissioner of the DOH a Proposer for contract award and execution.

It is not the intention of the DOH to receive project‑specific design or engineering recommendations as part of this RFQ. Proposers should limit their submittals to the information required by this RFQ and other information regarding qualifications and experience.

OVERVIEW
The Project will upgrade an existing two-lane section of WV 2 to four lanes on new and existing locations from Cresap to McKefrey, approximately 1.2 miles. WV 2 to the north and the south of this project is already four lanes. The new roadway will be constructed as a partially controlled access facility.

Project services shall include but are not limited to:

·         Design Services - preparation of construction plans

·         Construction Services - necessary to build and ensure high quality workmanship of the designed facility.

I.            SCOPE
The Scope of Work for this Project will include design, construction, and construction engineering and management. The design work will include any additional surveys, geotechnical work, hydraulic analysis, scour analysis and substructure and superstructure design, including seismic analysis and design. All design elements shall meet all current DOH design policies and procedures. These procedures include but are not limited to Design Directives, Drainage Manual, Bridge Design Manual, Erosion and Sediment Control Manual, Traffic Engineering Directives, and Standard Details Volumes 1 and 2. These documents are available at the DOH website http://www.wvdot.com/engineering/TOC_engineering.htm. Additionally, all design shall meet all current appropriate AASHTO Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets (latest edition), Seismic Design Specifications for Highway Bridges (latest edition), and AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications (latest edition).

The acquisition of any additional right of way is to be conducted in accordance with all applicable Federal and State laws and regulations, including but not limited to the Uniform Relocation and Real Property Acquisition Act of 1970, as amended (The “Uniform Act”) and Chapter 54, Articles 1, 2, and 3 of the official Code of West Virginia of 1931, as amended. In addition, the acquisition of property shall follow the guidelines as established by the DOH together with all other applicable Federal and State guidelines.

Construction will include but not be limited to all necessary roadway and bridge work, drainage, erosion and sediment control work items, necessary foundation work, substructure work, superstructure work, and traffic control. Construction engineering and management, including quality control (QC) and inspection, will be the responsibility of the contractor.  The DOH will perform quality assurance (QA) verification sampling and testing. Construction will comply with the DOH Standard Specifications for Roads and Bridges, adopted 2000 and 2003 Supplemental Specifications and any special provisions. This document is also available at the DOH website http://www.wvdot.com/engineering/TOC_engineering.htm.

Areas of work required for this Project will include but are not limited to the following items:

·         Drainage Design

·         Geotechnical Design

·         Preliminary and Final Roadway Plan Preparation

·         Preliminary and Final Bridge Design

·         Construction

·         Project Management

·         Construction Management

·         QC including testing and construction inspection

·         Environmental and permit compliance, if necessary, for work performed outside the proposed right of way limits

II.         SUBMITTAL FORMAT
The RFQ response shall contain no more than twenty‑five (25) double‑spaced pages typed on one side only, excluding appendices. Responses should address Sections III through VI in the same order as listed below. The Proposer may wish to include additional information.

III.     MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE AND APPROACH

Provide the qualifications and experience of the firm or firms and personnel on the Proposer’s team as follows:

1.            Identify the lead organization and primary members of the team. Name the entity with whom DOH will be contracting, and identify if this will be a partnership, corporation, joint venture, etc.

2.            Provide an organizational chart of each member of the Proposer's team. Describe the role and responsibilities of each team member, including the major subcontractors and consultants.

3.            The team must include at a minimum the following in order for the response to this RFQ to be deemed acceptable:

a.       Project Manager - The Project Manager shall be the primary person in charge of and responsible for delivery of the Project in accordance with the contract requirements. The Project Manager must be present onsite as the Project progresses, have full authority to make the final decisions on behalf of the Proposer and have responsibility for communicating these decisions directly to the DOH.

b.      Lead Design Engineer - The Lead Design Engineer shall be in charge of and responsible for all aspects of the design of the Project (road, bridge, hydrology, and geotechnical).

c.       Construction Manager - The Construction Manager shall be responsible for coordination between the design and construction teams and resolution of problems arising between the design and construction during the Project, subject to oversight by the Project Manager. The Construction Manager shall also be responsible for implementation of the maintenance of traffic plans.

d.      Quality Control Manager - The Quality Control Manager shall be responsible for ensuring that all workmanship, materials, inspections and testing are in compliance with the contract requirements. The Quality Control Manager shall not report directly to the Project Manager or other personnel on the Project, but shall report to a responsible officer of the entity with whom the DOH has contracted.

e.       Safety Manager -- The Safety Manager shall be responsible for compliance with all applicable safety regulations.

4.           Identify any firms on the team who have previously worked together on similar projects.

5.           Identify the Project Manager and the firm by which he/she is employed. Give a clear definition of the role and responsibility of the Project Manager relative to the member firms. List the Project Manager’s experience leading this type and magnitude of project.

6.           Demonstrate the team’s ability to commit necessary resources to successfully complete the Project.

7.           Provide a financial statement for each major firm on the Proposer’s team and any major partners. Provide information on the Proposer’s insurance and bonding capacity.

IV.     EXPERIENCE OF KEY INDIVIDUALS

Provide information demonstrating that key individuals possess the required minimum qualifications listed below:

1.           All team members shall hold or obtain licenses required for performing work on the Project under state and local laws.

2.           Any design reports or plans shall be signed and sealed by a Registered Professional Engineer registered in the State of West Virginia.

3.           The Proposer’s design team shall meet the following minimum qualifications:

a.       The design team shall have personnel with experience and expertise in all phases of roadway design, bridge structure design, and maintenance of traffic design.

b.      The lead design engineer shall have a minimum of five (5) years experience and expertise in the design of roads and bridges, utilizing DOH design policies. The lead bridge design engineer shall have a minimum of five (5) years experience and expertise in the design of bridges utilizing DOH design policies. The lead design engineer shall have a minimum of five (5) years experience and expertise in the design of projects of similar scope and magnitude.

c.       The lead hydraulic engineer shall have a minimum of five (5) years experience and expertise in hydraulic analysis/engineering and bridge scour.

d.      The design team shall have personnel with experience and expertise in roadway design and design of bridge structures as will be required for this Project.

e.       The design team shall have the necessary equipment and personnel to provide the designs and plans in a timely manner.

4.            The Proposer shall provide for a geotechnical engineer to conduct a geotechnical investigation and provide specific recommendations for the design and construction of the foundations, fill slope design and analysis, cut slope design and analysis, and design of earth retainage structures. The geotechnical staff shall contain at least one Registered Professional Engineer with a minimum of five (5)years experience in the design of bridge foundations.

5.            The Proposer’s Project Manager must have at least five (5) years experience managing projects of similar scope and magnitude. Describe the Project Manager’s experience leading this type and magnitude of project. Provide a list of the projects that the Project Manger has managed in the past. For each project listed, provide:

a.       A brief description of each project managed, including the year(s) of construction and size and type of project, including any unusual features.

b.      Name of owner the work was performed for and the name and phone numbers of owner’s representatives who can verify and discuss the Project Manager’s participation in the project.

6.            Provide information that the Proposer’s construction team meets the following minimum qualifications:

a.       The Proposer shall be prequalified as a contractor (Classification A) by the DOH prior to the date the RFQ is to be submitted.

b.      Each construction manager shall have a minimum of five (5)years experience in the management of projects of similar scope and magnitude.

c.       Each construction superintendent shall have a minimum of five (5) years experience in supervising projects of similar scope and magnitude.

d.      The project surveyor of the construction team shall be a Registered Land Surveyor (RLS) in the State of West Virginia, shall have a minimum of five (5) years experience and demonstrate experience in roadway and bridge construction work.

7.            The Proposer’s Quality Control (QC)/construction inspection team shall meet the following minimum qualifications:

a.       The inspection personnel must obtain appropriate certification as required by the DOH for each specific test to be performed. All certifications must be reviewed and approved by the DOH.

b.      The QC manager shall have a minimum of five (5) years experience on projects of similar scope and magnitude.

c.       Construction inspection personnel must be certified through Fairmont State University.

8.            Submittal of Qualifications

a.       Provide information sufficient to show the minimum qualifications stated in items above.

b.      Provide a list of all project experience in the past five (5) years, including the year of construction.

c.       Provide name of owner for whom the work was performed.

d.      Provide names and phone numbers of owner’s representatives who can verify and discuss the firm’s participation in these projects.

e.       Provide a brief description of each project.

f.       Provide resumes of key individuals that are considered critical to the success of this Project, including team members discussed above. This information may be included in the appendices and will not be counted against the 25‑page maximum requirement.

g.      Provide a list of all projects managed, including the year(s) of construction.

h.      Provide a brief description of each project size and type, including any unusual features.

i.        Provide name of owner the work was performed for and the name and phone numbers of owner’s representatives who can verify and discuss the construction project manager’s participation in these projects.

Key individuals and team members are to remain for the duration of the project, and changes cannot be made without DOH approval.

V.               PAST PERFORMANCE

1.      For each firm included in the Proposer’s team, provide information demonstrating the firm's qualifications for performing work included in this Proposal. The information is to include a list of project experience in the past five (5) years, including year(s) of construction.

2.      For each project listed, provide:

a.       A brief description of the project.

b.      Name of owner for whom the work was performed.

c.       Name and phone numbers of owner's representatives who can verify and discuss the firm's participation in these projects.

3.      Provide brief answers and explanations to the following questions:

a.       Has any member of the Proposer's team been declared delinquent and/or in default on any project within the last five (5) years?

b.      In the past five (5) years, has any member of the Proposer's team been suspended, debarred, disqualified from bidding, or declared ineligible for work by any entity, or are any such actions pending against them?

c.       In the past five (5) years, has any member of the Proposer's team submitted a claim on a project that was not resolved without litigation and if litigated was not resolved in favor of the member of Proposer's team?

d.      Has any member of the Proposer's Team been assessed liquidated damages on any projects within the past five (5) years?

e.       Does any member of the Proposer's team have active projects that are behind schedule?

f.       In the past five (5) years, has any member of the Proposer's team been found in violation of any local, state, or Federal laws or regulations, or is any member of the Proposer's team currently under investigation for violation of any such laws or regulations? This includes but is not limited to safety, environmental, and erosion/sediment control issues.

g.      Within the last five (5) years, has any member of the Proposer's team received incentives for early project completion?

h.      In the past five (5) years, has any member of the Proposer's team been involved in design and construction related litigation?

VI.           QUALITY CONTROL PLAN

Provide information on how the QC responsibilities, including sampling and testing, design, and construction inspection will be performed on this project.  It is anticipated that the DOH will use its normal QA/QC procedures on this project.

Proposers who respond to this Request for Qualifications may be asked to provide additional information.

VII.        QUALIFICATIONS EVALUATION

A Selection Committee has been established by the DOH to review the RFQ responses.

The criteria shown below will be considered in determining the firm’s qualification score. The maximum points for each evaluation category will be as follows:

Management Experience and Approach........................................ 35

Experience of Key Individuals...................................................... 30

Past Performance........................................................................... 25

Quality Control Plan Approach                                                      10

VIII.    FINANCIAL CONDITION

Proposers must be prequalified as per IV.6.a above in an amount equal to or greater than proposed cost proposal.  

IX.           GENERAL INFORMATION
The DOH reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to either proceed no further with the Project RFQ process, or to re-advertise in another public solicitation.

The DOH reserves the right to accept or reject any and all responses and/or discontinue the selection process at any time prior to contract execution.

The DOH assumes no liability and will not reimburse costs incurred by Proposers (whether selected or not) in developing responses to this RFQ.

The DOH reserves the right to request or obtain additional information about any and all responses to the RFQ.  DOH may also issue addenda to the RFQ which will be mailed to all RFQ holders.

After initial submittal, key members of the Proposer’s team cannot be changed without DOH approval.

All Proposers must visibly mark as “CONFIDENTIAL” each part of their submission which they consider to contain proprietary information the release of which would constitute an unreasonable invasion of personal privacy. All unmarked pages will be subject to release in accordance with law. Proposer should be prepared, upon request, to provide justification of why such materials should not be disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act.

X.               MILESTONES

·               Submit (10) copies of Qualifications – January 18, 2008

Director, Contract Administration Division

West Virginia Department of Transportation, Division of Highways

Any submissions received after 4:00 p.m. on January 18, 2008 will not be considered.

·               Evaluation of Qualifications – February 8, 2008 (approximate date)

·               Letters and “Request for Proposal” to selected Proposers, and letters to unselected Proposers – February 15, 2008 (approximate date)

·               Receive proposals – April 4, 2008 (approximate date)

·               Selection of firm – April 11, 2008 (approximate date)

·               Completion of project – October 2009 (approximate date)

Any technical questions concerning the requirements for this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) should be directed to Mr. James Colby, Contract Administration Division, at 304-558-9667 or e-mail jcolby@dot.state.wv.us