The General Services Administration (GSA) intends to construct a new fully functional Land Port of Entry (LPOE) at Highgate Springs, Vermont. The government will utilize the "Construction Manager as Constructor (CMc)", also known as "Construction Manager at Risk" or "Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP)", delivery method. The CMc project delivery method includes requirements for the Design Phase Services and the Options(s) for Construction Services at a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP). The project shall adhere to the GSA Design Excellence and Operational Excellence guidelines, the GSA PBS Facilities Standards for the Public Buildings Service (P100) 2021 with 2022 addendum and is targeted to achieve USGBC LEED Gold and SITES Silver.
Constructed in 1997, the Highgate Springs LPOE is at the northern end of U.S. Interstate 89 (I- 89), approximately 40 miles north of Burlington, VT, and opposite the Canadian port of entry at St. Armand/Philipsburg, Quebec. Canada is in the process of completing construction of Autoroute A35 between Montreal and the Canada/U.S. border. Canada in coordination with Vermont’s Agency of Transportation (VTrans) is converting Route 133 into a multilane highway, which would link Montreal to the US border with a continuous multilane highway system.
When completed, traffic is estimated to increase by as much as 30% at this port of entry. Canada is targeting for a 2025 substantial completion on the final highway segment.
The existing site occupies approximately 16.1 acres and includes seven buildings totaling approximately 44,000 GSF. The site is bounded to the north by the U.S./Canada border, to the east by the northbound lanes of I-89 and rock outcroppings and bluffs, to the south by the former site of the State of Vermont’s Welcome Center, and to the west by privately owned land. Lake Champlain is about 1/2 mile to the west. Tenants include the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Customs and Border Protection (CBP); the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), and GSA.
This project will construct a new fully operational Land Port of Entry at Highgate Springs with expanded capacity to alleviate the increase in commercial and personally owned vehicle (POV) traffic expected for the completion of the Canada AutoRoute A35 project.
The main goal is for this project to provide a new LPOE for CBP, FDA, APHIS, and GSA. Anticipating a May 2028 completion date, this will meet each agency’s requirements and allow them to operate efficiently under the increased traffic volume estimated after Canada Autoroute A35 is completed. Buildings and traffic patterns will be arranged to facilitate a smooth traffic flow, ease congestion, and enhance security for each agency, while providing a welcoming gateway into and out of the United States. Another GSA goal for the project is to complete the design and construction efficiently and effectively and to keep the project on time, on budget, within scope, on quality, and code compliant. The process will adopt an integrated design approach engaging all team members from CBP, FDA, APHIS, GSA, and impacted property owners. This approach shall extend through all phases of the design of the project and through its construction. Building Information Modeling (BIM) will be used throughout the project to ensure the integration of all aspects of the project. In addition to constructing a new port for its tenants, GSA will coordinate its project with others in the immediate vicinity: Canada Autoroute A35, the renovation of the Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) port at St. Armand/Philipsburg, and the construction of a new truck inspection facility for the State of Vermont’s Agency of Transportation. The new LPOE will need to be constructed in a way that allows the existing port to remain in operation throughout the construction.
The design phase services shall be performed at a firm-fixed-price and the optional construction services shall be performed at a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP). This solicitation will be executed pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 15.101-1, Best value continuum, Trade-Off process and FAR Subpart 15.202, Advisory multi-step process. Pursuant to FAR Clause 52.215-1 Instructions to Offerors-Competitive Acquisition, the Government intends to evaluate proposals and award contracts without discussions with offerors (except clarifications as described in FAR 15.306(a)), although it reserves the right to open discussions should it be determined to be in its best interests. It is the government’s intention to award a contract to the offeror whose proposal conforms to the RFP requirements and is considered to be the most advantageous to the government, price and technical factors considered. Competitive proposals shall be evaluated and assessed based on the factors specified in this solicitation. For this solicitation, the combined weight of the non-price factors is approximately greater than price.
One (1) award will be made from this two-step (2-Step) CMc solicitation. This procurement will be solicited as full and open competition.
The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 236220 (Commercial and Institutional Building Construction). The small business size standard is $39.5 million average annual receipts.
Competitive proposals shall be evaluated based on the factors specified in the solicitation. This procurement will follow the advisory multistep process in accordance with FAR 15.202. It is anticipated that the non-price technical factors will be broken down by phase, as follows:
Phase 1:
- Experience in Providing Design Phase Services and Construction Phase Services on Similar Projects (30%)
- Management and Technical Approach (Design Phase Services and Construction Phase Services) (20%)
- Qualifications and Experience of Key Personnel (15%)
- Past Performance in Providing Design Phase Services and Construction Phase Services on Similar Projects provided under Factor #1 (15%)
Phase 2:
- Sustainability (15%)
- Small Business Participation (5%)
- Price
Upon completion of the evaluation of Phase I proposals, an advisory shortlist will be developed. All offerors will be notified as to whether their firm was included on or excluded from the advisory shortlist. It shall be noted that exclusion from the advisory shortlist shall not preclude offerors from submitting a Phase II proposal.
Important Notes: (1) A bid guarantee will be required ninety (90) calendar days prior to the exercise of the GMP Option for Construction Services. The Contractor shall furnish required performance and payment bonds within fourteen (14) calendar days of exercise of the GMP Option. (2) In accordance with FAR 30.101, Cost Accounting Standards, the Contractor must demonstrate their compliance with Cost Accounting Standards. Award shall not be made to any contractor that is not CAS compliant.
The estimated total construction cost for the project falls within the range of $110,000,000.00 and $130,000,000.00.
Award is anticipated to be made for design phase services, with Options 1 and 2, to be available for award at a later date as needed.
Design phase services are anticipated to commence upon award of the contract on or about August 2024. The Optional Construction Phase Work is anticipated to be awarded on or about Spring 2026, with a performance period for the Design Phase of approximately 730 calendar days and Construction Phase approximately 838 calendar days. Offerors shall note that while the total project budget has received Congressional authorization, it has yet to be fully appropriated.
A preproposal conference will be held on April 10, 2024. Additional details will be provided with the solicitation. Small businesses are highly encouraged to attend. Prior notification of attendance to this conference is mandatory. Please provide your company name and all potential attendees' full names to email: James.Adamo@GSA,gov and Michele.Valenza@GSA,gov.
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA)
In addition to the construction opportunity reflected herein, GSA is seeking suppliers and manufacturers that are interested in supplying low embodied carbon asphalt, concrete (and cement), glass and steel materials for the project. Suppliers and manufacturers of materials meeting GSA’s Inflation Reduction Act Low Embodied Carbon asphalt, concrete (and cement), glass and steel requirements may submit an Expression of Interest to the contact below no later than April 2, 2024.
Expressions of Interest should indicate materials available and global warming potential values reflected in materials’ environmental product declarations. Submission of an expression of interest grants GSA your permission to publish your firm’s contact information and offerings for use by potential offerors on GSA construction requirements. Supplier and manufacturer contact information will be published in an informational amendment issued by GSA.
By participating in the competition, offerors consent to GSA sharing their suppliers’ names and the global warming potential values associated with suppliers’ materials with the successful offeror. Such information may also be disclosed publicly or used to inform other low embodied carbon procurement activities. Technical solutions, supplier pricing, and supplier-offeror terms and conditions will not be shared, in accordance with the Procurement Integrity Act.
To ensure that you receive all information regarding this solicitation, please register to receive updates at www.SAM.gov, follow the procedures for notification registration.
Interested Parties/How to Offer: The Solicitation will only be available electronically. The Phase 1 solicitation will be available 3/25/2024. The solicitation can only be obtained by accessing SAM.gov a secure website designed to safeguard sensitive but unclassified (SBU) acquisition material. Complete and submit via email Form B Document Security in order to access the locked documents. Potential offerors will be responsible for downloading the solicitation and for monitoring the website for possible amendments and/or additional information. Potential offerors must be registered in SAM.gov. Inquiries concerning the project should be directed to the following email address: James.Adamo@GSA.gov and Michele.Valenza@gsa.gov and reference the solicitation number in the subject line.
