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
004-D-1
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
004-D-7
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
004-D-1
“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 ?