NAME AND LOCATION OF PROJECT: SOURCES SOUGHT FOR ARCHITECT ENGINEER INDEFINITE DELIVERY/INDEFINITE QUANTITY (A/E IDIQ) FOR GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING AND GEO-ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING IN SUPPORT OF THE PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT
NOTICE ID: W912BU26RA002
NOTICE TYPE: Sources Sought
RESPONSE DATE: 1300 EDT on 28 August 2025
NAICS: 541330 – Engineering Services with a size standard of $25,500,000.00.
PSC: C219 – Architect and Engineering- General: Other
CAPACITY: This potential Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract for Architect-Engineer Services will have an anticipated contract capacity of $49,000,000.00 with a 5-year ordering period.
THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE AND IS FOR INFORMATIONAL/ MARKET RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, QUOTATIONS OR BIDS. NO SOLICITATION IS AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Philadelphia District (NAP) is issuing a Sources Sought Announcement for a Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Architect- Engineer (A/E) contract for Engineering and Design for Geotechnical Engineering and Geo-Environmental Engineering services to determine the interest, availability, and capability of businesses within the marketplace.
By way of this Sources Sought Notice, the USACE Philadelphia District contracting office intends to determine the extent of capable firms that are engaged in providing the services described hereunder. Responses to this Sources Sought notice will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. Therefore, the type of set-aside decision to be issued will depend upon the capabilities of the responses to this notice.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The primary work will be geotechnical engineering, geo-environmental engineering, and related services for planning, design, and construction quality assurance in support of the military, work for others (IIES), and civil works missions aligned to the Philadelphia District. Most work occurs within the NAP area of responsibility, which includes Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, New York, and Maryland. Occasional work may be required within the CONUS North Atlantic Division (NAD) area of responsibility.
The Architect-Engineer under each task order shall perform all work required to accomplish the intent of such task order within the time schedule set forth therein. The Contractor must be capable of managing and performing multiple technically complex task orders simultaneously, often with critical durations requiring rapid mobilization of resources and turnaround of deliverables to meet project requirements. The AE’s staffing must include experienced professionals qualified in the following areas of expertise:
- Geotechnical Engineering
- Geology
- Hydrogeology
- Environmental Engineering
- Industrial Hygiene
- Chemistry
Additional capability requirements include:
- Civil Engineering
- Structural Engineering
- Environmental Science
- Mechanical Engineering
- Waste Management
- Risk Assessment
- Health Physics
- Geophysics
- Subsurface Exploration
- Instrumentation
- Soil and Rock Testing
- Site Drainage
- Pavement Design
- Surveying
- Cost Estimating
- Drafting/CAD/GIS
- Specifications and technical writing
The following is a list of typical tasks. The AE will provide engineering, site investigation, technical, drafting, and administrative services as required in the scope of work and more specifically outlined in task orders to be issued against the contract. Work requirements, in general, consist of the following:
- Geotechnical Design – shall include, but not be limited to, the design of shallow and deep foundations, embankments and cut slopes, retaining structures, sheet pile structures, slope protection, slope failure analysis and remediation, waterfront construction, pavements, bank protection, geosynthetics, soil stabilization, ground improvement, site drainage, dewatering and groundwater control, and the preparation of reports on the same. Design work shall include the preparation of drawings and technical specifications according to USACE format and Tri-Service Standards.
- Geo-Environmental Design – shall include, but not be limited to, the design of remediation systems for Hazardous, Toxic, Radioactive Waste (HTRW) sites, to include: designs associated with groundwater, soil, and soil vapor treatment systems and the preparation of reports on the same. Design work shall include the preparation of drawings and technical specifications according to USACE format and Tri-Service Standards. Work can be related to any type of contaminated sites including but not limited to Superfund, work under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) projects.
- Geo-Environmental work including such tasks as: Phase I Preliminary Site Assessments, Remedial Investigations and RCRA Facility Investigations, geophysical investigations, groundwater investigations; soil, groundwater, air, and surface water chemical sampling, testing and analysis; preparation of baseline risk assessments, preparation of conceptual site models, design and performance of bench- and pilot-studies to vet remediation technologies or remediate groundwater, soil or vapor, studies of water levels and groundwater flow, studies of fate and transport of known and emergent contaminants and other related work involving chemical and radiological contamination. Other related efforts shall include preparation of Feasibility/Corrective Hazardous, Toxic, and Radiological Waste (HTRW) Measures and Studies. Many of the projects that will use this contract will require interagency coordination with a combination of federal, state, and local government stakeholders.
- Subsurface Explorations – shall include, but not be limited to, soil borings using traditional or direct push methodologies, soil sampling, test pit excavations, rock coring, cone-penetrometer testing, vibrational coring, and geophysical investigations for geotechnical purposes. Soil sampling and rock coring may be conducted either on land or on water; vibrational coring shall be conducted solely on water. Water work may be riverine, bay, inlet, or in the ocean. Land-based drilling may require specialized equipment for soft ground, low headroom, or limited-space conditions. Drillers, A/E staff, and all those involved in site investigations will be required to have fulfilled the 29 CFR 1910.120 OSHA 40-hour basic health and safety training of the job’s health and safety plan, including medical monitoring and current 8-hour annual refresher. Supervisors and those tasked with safety and health responsibilities must have completed the 8-hour supervisor’s course. Record surveys meeting USACE standards for surveying and mapping of all land and water explorations will be required by a licensed professional surveyor working for the contractor.
- Instrumentation Installation and Monitoring – shall include, but not be limited to, the installation, monitoring, and data analysis for piezometers, groundwater monitoring wells and inclinometers, and installation of pressure transducers for water level studies. This item shall include all appurtenant and essential items and work pertaining to development of piezometers and monitoring wells.
- Support of Field Work – A qualified, degreed, licensed engineer, geologist, or staff approved by the Government shall be present during subsurface exploration programs and installation of instrumentation. This staff shall be responsible for: logging of soil samples and/or rock cores; handling, labeling, storing, chain of custody and shipping of soil samples, rock cores, and environmental samples (including contaminated samples); coordinating with drillers, utility companies, government, private, and related groups; performing any necessary air monitoring; and laying out explorations as per USACE directions. Staff shall be required to have the 29 CFR 1910.120 OSHA 40-hour basic health and safety requirements of the job’s health and safety plan, including medical monitoring and current 8-hour annual refresher.
- Soil testing – shall include, but not be limited to, visual and laboratory classification, classification testing, index testing, gradation, determination of moisture-density relations, permeability testing, infiltration testing, direct shear testing, triaxial shear testing, unconfined compression testing, consolidation testing, laboratory and field compaction testing, and other physical, deformation, and hydrological property testing. The collection and testing of HTRW contaminated samples may be required. It is not necessary for the geotechnical or HTRW laboratories to be resident in-house. However, the designated geotechnical laboratory test methods must be validated by the USACE Materials Testing Center (MTC); if an analytical laboratory is required, it must also be approved by USACE, as well as possess current National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference (NELAC) certifications and comply with the DOD Quality Systems Manual requirements.
- Preparation of Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPP), including Uniform Federal Policy QAPP and Work Plans.
- Preparation of Health and Safety Plans – All USACE projects shall have a Safety and Occupational Health (SOH) Plan prepared for, and reviewed by, USACE prior to mobilizing to the site. The nature and extent of the SOH Plan shall be commensurate with the potential hazards and conditions of the project. Such plans must include an up-to-date Accident Prevention Plan (APP) and current Activity Hazard Analyses (AHAs). The SOH Plan shall include sections for hazards such as, but not limited to, HTRW, drilling, excavation, and/or floating plant operations as required by the project. The most current version of USACE EM 385-1-1 must be utilized. An electronic copy of this manual may be found at: https://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Safety-and-Occupational-Health/Safety-and-Health-Requirements-Manual/
- Engineering During Construction (EDC) - A qualified, degreed, licensed engineer or staff approved by the Government shall support USACE personnel performing site inspection services of construction activities and review of construction submittals. The staff shall be responsible for supporting USACE with: on-site inspections, ensuring compliance with engineering design plans and specifications, site inspection reporting, hold meetings to discuss project status and inspection results, review contractor submittals, review and respond to contractor Requests for Information (RFIs), and other related engineering support services requested by USACE to support the completion of construction activities.
- Miscellaneous Professional Services – This secondary work shall include, but not be limited to, other support during construction services, cost estimating, assistance with public meetings, reporting, and peer review of USACE reports.
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:
All interested business concerns for this sources sought notice shall submit a capabilities package providing the following information should address ALL the following in their submittal:
- Firm's name, address, point of contact, phone number, email address, CAGE code, and SAM UEI.
- Indicate if your company is currently registered with the Systems for Award Management (SAM) database. All prospective contractors are required to be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database prior to contract award. Offerors and contractors may obtain information on registration and annual confirmation requirements at https://www.sam.gov.
- In consideration of NAICS code 541330 with a small business size standard of $25,500,000.00, indicate which of the following business categories your business is classified under: Large Business, Small Business, Veteran-Owned Small Business, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, Small-Disadvantaged Business, Woman- Owned Small Business, HUBZone Small Business, or 8(a) Small Business.
- USACE seeks the contractor's ability to demonstrate the necessary experience, including subcontractors, on projects like that described above for similar services. This includes references of completed projects similar in scope and scale. If the Offeror is a joint venture, mentor/protégé, or is utilizing an affiliate, at least two projects submitted MUST be experience representing the small business/protégé Prime Offeror.
- Please note that under a Small-Business Set-Aside, in accordance with FAR 52.219-14, the small business prime must perform at least 50% of the work themselves in terms of the cost of performance. Provide an explanation of your company’s ability to perform at least 50% of the projects submitted in the capabilities statement.
- Statement of capability and qualifications of the organization to perform the requirement.
- Capability Statements should include information and details of a minimum of three (3) but not more than seven (7) example projects representative of the Project Description above. The scope of services for the example projects must have been successfully completed within the past five (5) years. Narratives should include a description of the services performed, project references (including owner with phone number and email address), and size of project and/or capacities.
Responses will be shared with the Government and the project delivery team, but otherwise will be held in strict confidence.
Responses are required no later than 1300 EDT 28 August 2025. All responses under this Sources Sought Notice must be emailed to stephen.t.kolokithias@usace.army.mil and anastasia.e.moffatt@usace.army.mil referencing the sources sought notice ID W912BU26RA002.
Responses shall be limited to ten (10) pages submitted as a single pdf file. The Government will not pay for any material provided in response to this market survey, provide an evaluation or additional information to respondents, nor return the data provided. This notice is for information purposes only and is not a request to be placed on a solicitation mailing list nor is it a Request for Proposal (RFP) or an announcement of a solicitation. The results of this notice will be considered to be in effect for a period of one year from the date of this notice. Comments will be shared with the Government project team, but otherwise will be held in strict confidence.
Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding their submissions. If you have any questions concerning this opportunity, please contact stephen.t.kolokithias@usace.army.mil and anastasia.e.moffatt@usace.army.mil.
CONTRACTING OFFICE:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District
W2SD ENDIST PHILADELPHIA
1650 Arch Street, 7th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103 United States
PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: The location of services to be performed under this contract shall be primarily within the NAP AOR and occasionally within the NAD AOR.
POINT OF CONTACT: Please e-mail your questions to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District Contracting office at stephen.t.kolokithias@usace.army.mil and anastasia.e.moffatt@usace.army.mil.
THIS NOTICE IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, QUOTE, OR BID. IT IS A MARKET RESEARCH TOOL BEING UTILIZED TO DETERMINE THE AVAILABILITY OF POTENTIAL QUALIFIED CONTRACTORS BEFORE DETERMINING THE METHOD OF ACQUISITION. IN ADDITION, THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS NOT TO BE CONSIDERED AS A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT, NOR WILL THE GOVERNMENT PAY FOR ANY INFORMATION SOLICITED OR DELIVERED.
