US Army Corps of EngineersAE Selection Process

Rosemary Gilbertson, PE

Chief, Army & Air Force Section

Louisville District

In Louisville District…

• Avg number of A/Es selected per year = 18

• Avg number of submittals per solicitation = 40

• Number of individuals who sit on Pre-selection & Selection Boards = 70 & 30

• Hours devoted to selection procedure per solicitation on average = 160

Indefinite Delivery Contracts

• Main A-E contracting tool >90%

• Multiple awards preferred:– All firms must be considered.– Price can’t be a factor!

• District limits: $3M over 3 years; $5M over 5 years if SB set-aside.

• Minimum quantity:– 2%/1% rule eliminated. KO has discretion.

– Not a minimum guarantee! A-E must prove costs.

A-E CONTRACTING PROCESSSelection

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Standard Form 330

Part I: Contract-Specific Qualifications

• Corporate team members and roles– Including organization chart

• Resumes of key personnel

• Examples of relevant projects

• Key personnel participation in example projects

• Other relevant qualifications

GSA forms website has PDF, FormNet, & Word formats:

http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/formslibrary.do?viewType=DETAIL&formId=21DBF5BF7E860FC185256E13005C6AA6

Standard Form 330

• Ownership and small business status

• Number of personnel in each discipline

• Profile of firm’s experience

• Annual revenues

• Firms can submit and update (at least annually) through Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA) https://ORCA.bpn.gov/

Part II: General Qualifications

A-E Evaluation Boards – Preselection and Selection (FAR 36.602)

• Engineering Division oversees the A-E selection process

and chairs all boards

• Boards are composed of registered professional personnel

with experience in engineering, architecture, construction

and acquisition

• Compare firms' qualifications using criteria in the synopsis

• Using agency invited, but must be qualified

• Must be rational, consistent and fair

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General Selection CriteriaFAR 36.602-1 / DFARS 236.602-1

• Professional Qualifications• Specialized Experience and Technical

Competence• Capacity• Past Performance• Knowledge of Locality• Location of Firm*• Volume of Recent DOD Work*• Participation of Small Businesses and Small

Disadvantaged Businesses* * Secondary factors per DFARS

A-E Preselection Board

Optional• Recommends to the selection board the highly qualified firms

which have a reasonable chance of being considered as most highly qualified

• Does not consider secondary criteria:

– Geographic proximity

– Equitable distribution of DOD contract awards

– Participation of SB and SDB

• Report submitted to selection board. No separate approval required

• Example preselection report: EP 715-1-7, Appendix S

A-E Selection Board

• Initial phase conducted like preselection board if preselection board not held

• Determines most highly qualified firms, in order of preference (minimum of 3)

• Conducts interviews with most highly qualified firms

• Applies secondary criteria as tie-breaker in ranking if needed

• Report provides clear rationale for ranking of most highly qualified firms and reasons other firms were eliminated. Details in EP 715-1-7, Appendix T.

What A-E Evaluation Boards Primarily Look For

• Adequate depth in all disciplines cited in synopsis

• Key personnel have:

– Degree and registration

– Pertinent experience

– Worked on example relevant projects

• Prime and subs have:

– Relevant recent experience in the required type of work

– Worked together recently on similar projects

– Clear roles

• Established quality management program

• Unsatisfactory or excellent past performance

Architect-Engineer Contract Administration Support System (ACASS)

• Sub-component of Navy’s CPARS system

• Managed by USACE Portland District

• Mandated for use by DoD Agencies– FAR 36.604(C)

– DFARS 236.604(C)

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How Performance Evaluations Are Used

• Excellent or unsatisfactory past performance can be pivotal in selections.

• ACASS is the primary source of past performance information (PPI), but any other credible, documented PPI can be used.

• Boards must consider relevancy of PPI: similarity of work, role in contract, which office, recentness.

• Firm can submit PPI with SF 330, and explain any past problems.

• No PPI = neutral rating.

Approval of A-E Selections

• Selection authority is at a level appropriate for the dollar value and nature of the proposed contract.

• In USACE, MSC Commanders are delegated unlimited A-E selection authority and may redelegate to districts as appropriate. (EFARS 36.602-4 (a))

Notification of Unsuccessful Firms

(FAR and EFARS 36.607(a))

• All firms should be notified of their selection status within 10 days after approval of selection report.– No notifications after preselection

• A simple letter is sent; no reasons provided

• Advises firm they have 10 days to request a debriefing

• Name of firm with which a contract will be negotiated may be released (FAR 36.607)

A-E Debriefing

• A-E must request in writing or electronically• Debrief within 14 days of A-E's request• Based on preselection/selection report• Discuss significant weak or deficient qualifications• Do not discuss

other firms• Summary

for contract file

(FAR and EFARS 36.607(b))

A-E CONTRACTING PROCESSSelection

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“Selection” of Firms for an IDC Task Order

• If an order can be awarded under more than one IDC, document basis for issuing order under a particular IDC, such as:

– Performance and quality of deliverables under the current IDCs

– Current capacity to accomplish the order in the required time

– Uniquely specialized experience

– Equitable distribution of work

• PRICE IS NOT A CONSIDERATION IN DECIDING WHICH IDC TO USE FOR A-E SERVICES

USACE A-E Contracting Policy

• Engineer FAR Supplement (EFARS): – Subpart 16.5: Indefinite Delivery Contracts

• Subpart 36.6: Architect-Engineer Services– http://www.hq.usace.army.mil/cepr/asp/main/parc.asp

• EP 715-1-7 - Architect-Engineer Contracting:– Detailed guidance and procedures for A-E contracting– http://www.usace.army.mil/inet/usace-docs/eng-

pamphlets/ep715-1-7/toc.htm

• Engineering and Construction Bulletins:– Quick method to issue information and directives– http://www.hnd.usace.army.mil/techinfo/ECbull.htm

FY07 Louisville District ID/IQ Contract Opportunities

Type # Length Value Award Date

Environmental AE (8a/HZ/SDV) up to 2 5 years $ 10M each FY07 2Q

Environmental AE (8a/HZ/SDV) up to 3 5 years $ 5M each FY07 2Q

Environmental AE (F&O) up to 3 5 years $ 15M each FY07 2Q

Environmental Data Records (EDR) 1 2 years $ 250k FY07 2Q

Real Estate Cost Analysis Services 1 5 years $ 2M FY07 2Q

WPAFB AE (F&O) 2 3 years $ 6M each FY07 2Q

WPAFB AE (SB) 1 3 years $ 2M FY07 2Q

Cost Estimating & Scheduling for AMC 1 3 years $ 6M FY07 3Q

LRD-wide Mil/CW AE (F&O) 2 3 years $ 6M each FY07 3Q

LRD-wide Mil/CW AE (SB) 1 3 years $ 2M FY07 3Q

Chemical Laboratory Services up to 2 5 years $ 1M each FY07 3Q

Environmental Waste Disposal 1 5 years $ 500k FY07 4Q

MARC (F&O) 5 5-10 yrs $200M pool FY08 ?

MARC (SB) 5 5-10 yrs $200M pool FY08 ?