International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico, United States Section, The Commons, Building C, Suite 310, 4171 N. Mesa St., El Paso, TX 79902-1441

C -- ARCHITECT-ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR SANITATION AND WATER QUALITY PROJECTS ALONG THE U.S./MEXICO BORDER IN TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO SOL RFP 95-26. Contact Pamela Ahrens, Contract Specialist, or Debra J. Little, Contracting Officer, at (915) 534-6694. The U.S. Section, International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico, (USIBWC), intends to award three Architect-Engineer (A-E) contracts for sanitation and water quality projects along the U.S./Mexico border in Texas and New Mexico involving the cities of Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Ciudad Acuna, Coahuila, Reynosa, Tamaulipas in Mexico and other locations in Mexico and/or the United States. Three A-E firms will be selected from this announcement. The USIBWC will assign individual projects among the three A/E contractors in relation to the initial ranking of the contracts and based upon the size and complexity of the corresponding sanitation problems, as determined by the USIBWC. The U.S. firms selected from this announcement must be able to team with firm(s) in Mexico to assist in the projects. Proposed Mexican subcontractor(s) are subject to approval by the U.S. Government. A Firm-Fixed Price Indefinite quantity type contract is contemplated for a basic year and four (4) one-year option years. The A/E contractors must possess sufficient qualifications and experience to provide the full range of A/E services necessary for the projects under the subject contracts, as deterined necessary by the USIBWC; such services may include but will not be limited to the following: (a) Preparation of Facility Plans - Acquisition of information required for conceptual design of facilities which may include, but is not limited to - (1) evaluation of Mexican wastewater treatment plant conceptual designs, including collection systems, lift stations, wastewater treatment processes, wastewater treatment plant siting, and effluent quality; (2) inventory/evaluaton of collection system, including hydraulic analysis using existing and projected flows, including recommendations for alternate collection facilities, modifications of existing facilities, or new construction; (3) development of wastewater treatment alternatives, including the use of low cost, low technology and low maintenance options to achieve effluent quality which meets federal, state and local regulatons; (4) development of sludge processing and disposal alternatives; (5) assessment of pumping needs and alternatives; (6) development of estimates for existing population and projection of future growth; (7) sampling, testing and characterization of domestic and industrial wastewater for determination of flow, water quality and treatability for the purpose of developing design criteria for secondary wastewater treatment facilities; (8) aerial photography and preparation of topographic maps from aerial photography that provide complete planimetric and topographic coverage of proposed project area; (9) inventory/identification of industries that might adversely affect wastewater treatment operations or collection systems; recommendations for industrial pretreatment; (b) Preparation of Socio-Economic Studies - Assessment of existing and future general area conditions, future land use, population forecasts, and economic projections; (c) Preparation of Financial Analyses - Studies of loan repayment capability of the community, development of financial alternatives, development/evaluation of sewer rates, and development of operation and maintenance and replacement cost estimates; (d) Environmental Evaluation - Evaluation of existing and future significant environmental conditions and environmental impacts of all alternatives considered in the facility planning process; (e) Design Services - The A/E contractors shall provide the full range of design services for the projects under these contracts, including but not limited to preparation of construction plans, specifications, and cost estimates for all phases of design from conceptual to final, as determined to be necessary by the USIBWC; (f) Construction Assistance Services - Review of shop drawings and other construction contractor submittals, review of requests for changes and/or deviations, responding to questions during construction, provision for training, preparation of the draft and final operations and maintenance manuals, performing value engineering reviews, preparation of record drawings (as-builts), and inspection services; (g) Start-Up Services - Observation of facility start-up and operation for a specified period of time after completion of construction, revisions to the operation and maintenance manual, specialized assistance provision for operation and maintenance training, and certification of facility performance; (h) Permitting Support - Performance of additional engineering analyses, studies, computations and preparation of drawings necessary to obtain all required permits for construction and operation of the facility. (i) Engineering Studies - The A/E contractors shall provide additional engineering studies and services which the USIBWC determines to be necessary for the projects under these contracts; such studies and services may include but are not limited to the following: aerial photography and mapping, surveying, environmental studies, hydraulic studies, groundwater and surface water studies and geotechnical studies; (j) Public Participation/Outreach - Preparation of visual aids and presentations for public or other meetings and arranging, advertising, conducting, evaluating, and preparing reports (minutes) of meetings. Project deliverables shall be provided in both English and Spanish. A-E Services Evaluation Factors, will be based on the following criteria in descending order of importance: (1) Specialized experience and technical competence in the type of work required under this contract. Evaluation will be based upon specific knowledge and experience in developing facility plans and designing low technology-low cost wastewater collection and treatment systems with high tolerance for industrial constituents, preferably in Mexico. The evaluation will also be based on capability and experience in working with Mexican firms; (2) Professional qualifications necessary for satisfactory performance of work required under this contract. Evaluation will be based upon experience and qualifications of key personnel of both the A-E and proposed subcontractors, project coordination, time and fiscal management skills, and value engineering processes. Firms must meet registration, licensing, and permit requirements from Texas and New Mexico. Proposed Mexican subcontractor must meet all professional registration, licensing, and permit requirements in Mexico. Firms must have required disciplines and specialists such as: civil, either in-house or through association with qualified consultants; (3) Capacity to accomplish the work in the required time. Evaluation will be based on the firm's present workload and the availability of the project team, including consultants, for the specified contract performance period; and past performance in preparing a facility plan within 9-12 months' time; (4) Past performance on contracts with government agencies and private industry in terms of cost control, quality of work and compliance with performance schedules; (5) Location in the general geographic area of the project and knowledge of the international locality of the project including natural and artificial features, provided that application of this criterion leaves an appropriate number of qualified firms, given the nature and size of the project(s). (6) Specialized experience and technical competence in construction assistance services, start-up services, and permitting support. This procurement is open to all businesses, regardless of size (unrestricted). If a large business is selected for a contract, it must comply with FAR 52.219-9, regarding the requirement for a subcontracting plan on that part of the work it intends to subcontract. The subcontracting goal for each contract is a minimum of 8% to be placed with Disadvantaged Businesses Enterprises, Minority Business Enterprises, Women-Owned Business Enterprises, and/or Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Each contract awarded will require the Government to order services priced at not less than $10,000 per year. All A-E firms who meet the requirements described in this announcement are invited to submit Standard Forms (SFs) 254, Architect-Engineer and Related Services Questionnaire, and 255 Architect-Engineer and Related Services Questionnaire for Specific Project (November 1992 Editions), to the office shown above. SF 254s and 255s must also be submitted for all proposed subcontractors. Six (6) copies of the SFs 254 and 255 shall be submitted. The SF 255 must clearly indicate the office location where the work will be performed and the qualifications of the individuals and subcontractors proposed to work on the contract and their geographical location. The SF 255 should also address the firm's capability to perform all services. The award of any resultant contracts are subject to fund availability. The SF 254 and 255 must be received in this office no later than 3:30 p.m., Mountain Standard Time, on the 30th calendar day after the date of appearance of this announcement in the Commerce Business Daily (CBD). Should the due date fall on a weekend or holiday, the SF 254s and 255s will be due on the first workday thereafter. Phone calls and personal visits are discouraged. Administrative and procedural questions shall be directed to Pamela Ahrens or Debra J. Little at (915) 534-6694. This is not a request for proposal. (117)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0026 19950502\C-0001.SOL)