Ft Harrison, MT Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) Seismic Upgrade and Specialty Care Improvements; Phase II - New Acute Care Building, Hospital Seismic Upgrade, Hospital Renovation, and Site Improvements

General.  This SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE is for informational/market research purposes only; THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, QUOTATION, OR BID, NOR A SYNOPSIS OF A PROPOSED CONTRACT ACTION UNDER FAR SUBPART 5.2.

Notice Details.  The Fort Harrison Veteran's Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) in Ft Harrison, MT, has requested the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Northwestern Division, Omaha District (CENWO) to identify interest in Construction Services, as defined below, to support CENWO's design and construction efforts. Responses to this announcement will be used by the Government to determine the appropriate level of small business participation and to develop the acquisition strategy.

The purpose of this Sources Sought notice is to update the healthcare construction industry on the project and to gain knowledge of the interest, capabilities, and qualifications of the healthcare construction industry, including small businesses and small disadvantaged businesses to include 8(a) firms, Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone), Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small business (SDVOSB). All interested parties are highly encouraged to respond.

Project Scope.  The CENWO currently plans to execute this project in Two Phases, and the preliminary planning and design stage is underway to develop acquisition documents for the following:

• Phase I (Design-Build Central Utility Plant and Parking Garage): Phase I consists of a Design-Build construction contract to design and build the Central Utility Plant, approximately 2500 LF of Utilities Corridor connecting the new CUP to the hospital and other buildings on campus, a road extension, and a 660-space Parking Garage. It will also include interior demolition of the existing boiler plants and new connections in the main hospital. The construction area is north of the hospital between the hospital and the fence line with the Ft. Harrison National Guard Training Center.
  1. Central Utility Plant (CUP): The Central Utility Plant (CUP) will provide a steam and chilled water generation system for the current hospital complex and the expansion projects under Phase II, replacing the existing plant in B171. The Government estimates the CUP building will be approximately 30 ft. tall, with a floor area of roughly 15,700 ft2. It has an F-1 occupancy classification and is considered a moderate hazard per IBC 2021. It will be designed with exterior face brick to match the brick used elsewhere on campus. The CUP shall comply with VA guidelines and codes, including VA Steam, Heating Hot Water, and Outside Distribution Systems Design Manual.
  2. Utilities Corridors: The new CUP shall be connected to the hospital complex and existing steam and chilled water systems via the distribution system.
     1. The distribution system is primarily routed underground in new utility corridors (approximately at least 8'x8') and inside of the existing buildings to provide building cooling, heating, and domestic hot water needs to the following structures:
        • Building 154 (Main Hospital and all additions),
        • Building 141 (Administration), Building 169 (the RRTP),
        • Future Acute Care Building (to be constructed as part of Phase II of the project),
        • Accommodation of future Building 173 (New OP Mental Health facility – to be constructed by others).
     2. The connection from the CUP to the Main Hospital Building will be through a primary utilidor to Mechanical Room B100, located in the basement of Building 154.
     3. Utility piping from the primary utilidor will reach the final equipment connections using secondary utilidors from the primary. The Designer of Record (DoR), with the approval of the Government, may use the Main Hospital basement crawlspace to make connections to other facilities instead of secondary utilidors.
     4. In addition to steam, steam condensate, and chilled water piping, the utilidors must have lighting, ventilation, fire protection, and drainage per code and VA requirements. The design of the utilidor must ensure a safe working environment, meeting all requirements.
  3. Parking Garage: The parking garage is an approximately 660-space parking structure. The project includes site improvements, rerouting of existing streets, site utilities, and a covered walkway. The facility will also include facility vertical transportation, facility mechanical, electrical, communications, and fire protections systems. The facility shall meet life safety, physical security, and accessibility requirements. The new parking garage will have optional covered parking and serve as the primary drop off location for the VA medical center, building 154. An attached covered walkway will connect the garage to the entry of building 154. The facility will have vertical transportation lobbies at each level. The exterior wall construction will consist of ornamental brick over concrete parking structural frame and vehicle barriers. The parking structure will not include any conditioned space.
  4. CENWO intends to issue the Phase One solicitation for the Design-Build Construction Services (of a Two-Phase Design-Build Acquisition IAW FAR Part 36) sometime in late January 2024 for an award in July 2024. Phase one proposals will be due late February 2024. Solicitation number is W9128F23R0042.
• Phase II (New Acute Care Building, Hospital Seismic Upgrade, Hospital Renovation, and Site Improvements):  Phase II consists of a construction contract (or contracts) to construct a three-story, 82,585 GSF Acute Care Building addition to the existing hospital on the south side, upgrade the existing hospital building to meet current seismic requirements, renovate most (approximately 185,000 GSF) of the existing hospital complex to accommodate a better Veteran Experience, upgrade the administration building to correct seismic and access deficiencies (approximately 37,000 GSF), and to correct physical security deficiencies throughout the campus. The Government is considering various delivery methods for Phase II, including Design-Build, Design-Bid-Build, and Integrated Design and Construction.
  1.  New Acute Care Building (ACB) Addition: The new 82,585 GSF addition will consist of three stories with a partial basement, like the existing tower on campus. The new facility will house a new Surgery unit, Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Med/Surg Inpatient Unit, Sterile Processing, and other support functions. The new ACB will serve as necessary swing space for the hospital's seismic upgrade and renovation.
  2. Hospital (154+) Seismic Upgrade:   Upgrades mainly involve reinforcing steel and shotcrete to vertical elements such as stairs, elevators, and several exterior walls.
  3. Hospital (154+) Renovation: Renovate approximately 185,000 GSF of the existing hospital complex to house the Sleep lab, Education, Prep/recovery, Endocrinology, Pain Management, Lab, Logistics, Nutrition, Support, Emergency Department, Pharmacy, Imaging, Primary Care, Dental, Storage, IT, Engineering, Rehabilitation, and other services. The intent of the renovation is to:
     1. Create a new central public entry oriented toward the new parking garage, with a covered connector for the safety and comfort of veterans and visitors.
     2. Simplify the overall corridor system for more intuitive wayfinding for veterans and visitors.
     3. Place the new elevator core along an easy-to-discern axis aligned with the new public entry and existing elevator core and incorporate access from the recently added outpatient entry at Building 150.
     4. Ensure back-of-house connections for patient transport between Emergency, Imaging, Med/Surg Unit, and Surgery that avoid conflict with public corridors and elevators.
     5. Move the Emergency Department to a location that provides dedicated walk-in and ambulance entries, separate from and ideally not visible from the main public entry.
     6. Incorporate remote MRI into the Imaging Department and relocate the mobile imaging dock (PET Scanner) from the east basement level to the west 1st Floor level for shorter, safer patient transport distances.
     7. Reallocate delivery patterns between west 1st Floor dock and the east basement level dock to avoid transporting supplies and waste through public areas on the 1st Floor.
     8. Reconfigure 2nd Floor corridor toward westernmost service elevator to correct thru-traffic at Lab.
     9. Relocate Biomedical Engineering from the existing basement location to reestablish continuous service pathway in the area.
     10. Provide basement-level connection between existing facility and new elevator core for back-of-house service circulation.
     11. Extend the existing main service elevator to serve the basement level of the existing facility for better back-of-house service circulation.
     12. Replace existing MEP systems.
     13. Update façade and buildings to comply with VA PSRDM.
  4. Administrative Building (141) Seismic Upgrade and Renovation:
     1. Structural Seismic Upgrades mainly involve installation of diaphragm ties in floor slabs at each level. Installation of each element will require access to the slab from both top and bottom sides simultaneously.
     2. Minor renovations to the building will provide for better access, ADA compliance, and physical security updates.
     3. Upgrades to the MEP system to comply with sustainability goals and to take advantage of the new CUP.
  5. Campus Physical Security Upgrades: Updates to the entry control point, electrical distribution system, campus lighting, updates to the existing perimeter fencing, and other upgrades to the campus to meet the requirements of the PSRDM.

Communications with Industry.  CENWO is organizing a virtual discussion and teleconference for interested parties to attend on 31 January 2024 at 1:00 PM CST to provide additional project information and address any industry questions. All information discussed during this virtual industry day may change as further project details become available.

To obtain the teleconference details and any accompanying materials, interested parties should contact Adam Beaver, Contract Specialist, at adam.l.beaver@usace.army.mil no later than 19 January 2024 at 4:00PM CST.

The e-mail must include:

SUBJECT: “Sources Sought W9128F24SC005 - Ft Harrison, MT VAMC Seismic Upgrade and Specialty Care Improvements – Industry Day Teleconference Info Request”

CONTENT:  Firm name and CAGE code, in person or teleconference, names of parties attending, anticipated number attendees, and any questions, recommendations, or concerns the firm has which may influence the acquisition strategy.

1. Submission Instructions. Submit formal responses to this Sources Sought notice electronically (via e-mail) with SUBJECT: Sources Sought W9128F24SC005 – Ft Harrison, MT VAMC Seismic Upgrade and Specialty Care Improvements. Please e-mail your response to adam.l.beaver@usace.army.mil no later than 09 February 2024 at 4:00 PM CST.

Responses to this Sources Sought Notice shall be limited to fifteen (15) pages and include the following information:

1. Firm's name, address, point of contact, phone number, e-mail address, CAGE and DUNS number.
2. Firm's business category and size:  Large Business (include summary of small business participation metrics), Small Business, Small Disadvantaged, 8(a) firm, Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone), Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB), and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small business (SDVOSB).
3. Provide a maximum of four project examples, similar in size, scope, and complexity to the work described in paragraphs 3 of this notice, with a brief description of each project, customer name, timeliness of performance, contract number, customer satisfaction, and the final project dollar value.
4. The project examples should adequately demonstrate that the firm possesses similar experience related to the project details contained within this notice. Additionally, within the content limitations above, please address the extent of small business participation in the project examples provided.

Disclaimer and Important Notes.

1. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract. The Government shall not reimburse expenses incurred while responding to this Sources Sought Notice or any follow-up requests. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's interest and capabilities to perform the work. The Government is not obligated to acknowledge receipt of information or provide feedback.
2. All interested firms must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://www.sam.gov and remain current for the duration of the source selection process to be eligible for award of a government contract.