USDA, Forest Service, 100 West Capitol Street, Suite 1141, Federal Building, Jackson, MS 39269

R -- LANDLINE MAINTENANCE AND LANDLINE LOCATION WORK Sol 20-7-96 due 060496. Contact, Contracting Section, 601/965-5474/Contracting Officer, Julia B. Cain. The Mississippi National Forests plan to contract approximately 800 miles of landline refurbishment and 20 to 40 miles of landline location work between June, 1996, and the end of June, 1998. The survey work will be state-wide. We are requesting your SF-254 and SF-255 form only once rather than requiring a separate form on each job. Based upon the established criteria, the evaluation process will select a ``pool'' of the best qualified firms. There will be two pools selected, one for the northern and one for the southern portions of the state. The northernmost line of Issaquena County, MS will be the dividing line. The northern area contains the Holly Springs National Forest and the Tombigbee National Forest. The southern area contains the Delta National Forest, the Bienville National Forest, the Homochitto National Forest and the DeSoto National Forest. Interested contractors should indicate, with their submitted SF-255 form, which area or areas for which they wish consideration. Negotiations will be held during the year to secure individual projects based on priority needs and the availability of project funds. Projects will range in size from 15-200 miles of landline refurbishment and similar work, and from 0.25 - 12 miles for landline location and monumentation work. As all individual projects to be acquired under the process are estimated to be less than $50,000 in value, all individual procurements are reserved for Emerging Small Business Development Program established by Public Law 100-656. An Emerging Small Business for these purposes, is a concern, including its affiliates, whose average annual gross receipts for the preceding three fiscal years do not exceed $2.50 million. The Business Size Representations and Certifications will be obtained prior to individual negotiations. To be considered for the work a firm must have in its employ a Mississippi Registered Professional Surveyor, and said surveyor is to be in responsible charge of all work awarded to said firm. A geographic area of consideration is established as a firm having a main or fully staff field office within 100 air miles of the Administrative (Acquisition) boundary of the National Forests in Mississippi. The ``Short List'' will consist of a minimum of three of the highest ranked firms in each geographical area responding to this Prospectus and will comprise the ``Pool'' for each area (northern and southern). Selection of the ``Pools'' will be determined by an evaluation process based upon the following criteria. Your SF-255 form should specifically address these areas. Evaluation Factors - the significant evaluation factors are as follows: (1) The firm's capacity, technical competence and qualifications for satisfactory performance of the project. (2) Specialized qualifications and experience of key personnel including technical skills, project coordination, and management skills. (3) Past performance on contracts performed in rural, wooded terrain similar to the project areas, with Government agencies and/or private firms in terms of cost control, quality of work, and compliance with performance schedules. (4) Knowledge of local surveying history and practices, records repositories, and land ownership patterns. (5) Proximity of the firm to the local project area. Selection from the ``Pool'' for negotiation of individual projects will be based upon the following criteria: (1) Proximity to the general geographical area of the project and specific knowledge of that particular locality. (2) Volume and nature of the firm's current workload previously awarded by the Forest Service will be considered, with the objective of effecting an equitable distribution of the contracts among qualified firms. (3) Knowledge of the particular geographical areas surveying history. To be considered, interested parties are to submit an SF-254 (Architech-Engineer and Related Services Questionnaire) and SF-255 (Architech-Engineer and Related Services Questionnaire for Specific Projects). Individual Purchase Orders (AFD-838) will be issued at the conclusion of successful individual negotiations for a particular geographical area. Estimated contract time varies with individual project requirements. These will be 100% set-aside for Labor Surplus area concerns in all counties in MS wherein the projects will be located. (131)

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