Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
578-27-003 - Renovate A Section First Floor of Building 1 - Design FY27
Department of Veterans Affairs
AI summaryThe Department of Veterans Affairs (Network Contract Office 12) wants architect-engineer design services to renovate part of the first floor of Building 1 at the Edward J. Hines VA Hospital in Hines, Illinois. It is a 100% service-disabled veteran-owned small business set-aside, and firms respond with an SF 330 qualifications package rather than a price. The design period is 449 calendar days and the estimated construction cost is $10 million to $20 million. More in the summary
A newer version of this notice was posted Oct 28, 2026. It moves the due date from Oct 30, 2026 to Nov 16, 2026, which is the date shown on this page. See the latest version.
AI summary Beta
Summary of the version posted Oct 8, 2026. The notice was amended Oct 28, 2026. The due date moved from Oct 30, 2026 to Nov 16, 2026. Check what else changed on SAM.gov.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (Network Contract Office 12) wants architect-engineer design services to renovate part of the first floor of Building 1 at the Edward J. Hines VA Hospital in Hines, Illinois. It is a 100% service-disabled veteran-owned small business set-aside, and firms respond with an SF 330 qualifications package rather than a price. The design period is 449 calendar days and the estimated construction cost is $10 million to $20 million.
Who can bid (6)
- Must be a service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB)
- Must be listed as verified in SBA's veteran certification database
- Must be a small business under NAICS 541310 (size standard $12.5 million)
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- Must be registered and current in SAM
- Architects and engineers who sign or stamp drawings need at least 5 years of experience and a state license, registration or certification
- Team must certify at least 50% SDVOSB performance (48 CFR 852.219-10)
How to submit: Not clearly stated. The contract specialist is Donita.Grace@va.gov; faxes are not accepted., due October 30, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. CT. What to include is under Full summary below. Check the solicitation's instructions on SAM.gov.
Things to watch (6)
- Serious: 50% performance rule. The team must show at least half the work will be performed by SDVOSB firms, which affects who you can team with.
- Serious: Narrow experience requirements. The evaluation favors hospital renovation, pathology suite, HVAC and pre-1970 building experience, which a general design firm may not have.
- Worth checking: Tight page limit. Everything must fit in 30 pages, so a small firm has to pick its projects and writing carefully.
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- Worth checking: Past performance paperwork. Each listed project needs CPARS data or a completed questionnaire, which can be hard to collect for firms with little federal history.
- Worth checking: Local presence scored. Firms are scored on travel time to Hines, IL, so distant firms lose points unless they have a fully staffed nearby office.
- Minor: Mixed wording on the selection process. The text calls this a best value trade-off but also says an RFP goes only to the top-rated firm, so confirm how ranking works.
Read from the notice text only.
Full summary
What they want
- Complete architect-engineer design services to renovate Section A of the 1st floor of Building 1 at Hines VAMC
- Design work in an active hospital, including HVAC upgrades and pathology suites
- Design for older buildings (built before 1970) with tight space
- Mechanical, electrical, plumbing, structural, interior design and physical security design
- Construction-period services: site inspections, submittal reviews, answering contractor questions, closeout documents
- Submit an SF 330 qualifications package (30 pages max) by the due date
- Contract type
- Firm-fixed-price (design services procured under the Brooks Act, FAR Part 36)
- Period of performance
- 449 calendar days
- Place of performance
- Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL
- Estimated value
- Not stated for the design contract. Estimated construction magnitude is stated as $10,000,000 to $20,000,000.
- How they'll choose
- Best value trade-off using the SF 330 qualifications. A request for proposal then goes to the top-rated firm for negotiation.
- Offers due
- October 30, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. CT (from the version posted Oct 8, 2026; amended since)
- How to submit
- Not clearly stated. The contract specialist is Donita.Grace@va.gov; faxes are not accepted.
- Page limits
- SF 330 limited to 30 pages; pages after 30 are not considered (CPARS reports and past performance questionnaires are not counted)
What they'll judge offers on
- Factor 1: Specialized experience and technical competence (30 points)
- Factor 2: Professional qualifications (20 points)
- Factor 3: Past performance (20 points)
- Factor 4: Quality control (10 points)
- Factor 5: Capacity (10 points)
- Factor 6: Geographic location (5 points)
- Factor 7: Experience in construction period services (5 points)
- Factor 8 (tiebreaker only): Record of claims against the firm (-5 to 0 points)
What to include when you submit
- Use the SF 330 form from the GSA Forms Library
- Show 3 to 5 recent, relevant projects from the past 7 years
- Provide CPARS data for each project, or a Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ) if none exists
- Include license numbers and resumes for each key position
- Include the signed SDVOSB 50% performance compliance statement
- Include a signed capacity statement
- Questions by email only to Donita.Grace@va.gov
Not in the notice text
- The scope of work details (they are in the attached SOW, P01)
- Exact way to submit the SF 330 (email or portal) and where to send it
- Dollar value of the design contract
- The time zone listed is CST; the SAM deadline shows -05:00, so confirm the local cutoff
Eligibility and how to respond
- Only service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs) certified through SBA's VetCert can bid as the prime contractor. Not certified through VetCert yet? Apply on VetCert (SBA), or start with the SDVOSB guide. More open service-disabled veteran-owned set-asides under NAICS 541310
- How to submit, from the AI summary: Not clearly stated. The contract specialist is Donita.Grace@va.gov; faxes are not accepted. Check it in the notice before you send anything.
- Architect-engineer services tied to buildings or construction are usually bought under the Brooks Act: the agency ranks firms on qualifications from an SF 330 first, then negotiates a price with the top firm. How A/E contracts work.
- Service contracts usually set minimum pay rates (the Service Contract Act). Price the labor with the SCA price calculator.
Notice details
- Posted
- Oct 8, 2026
- Notice type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- Office
- 252-Network Contract Office 12 (36C252), Milwaukee, WI
- Product/service code
- C1DA · Architect and Engineering – Construction: Hospitals and Infirmaries
- Business type
- Engineering, architecture & research (FedReady's grouping, from NAICS 541310)
- Versions
3 versions have been posted, newest first.
- Oct 28, 2026 · Amendment 0002Due Nov 16, 2026 (changed)
- Oct 8, 2026 · Amendment 0001Due Oct 30, 2026
- Oct 8, 2026 · Combined Synopsis/Solicitation (this version)Due Oct 30, 2026
- Attachments
Past awards and competition
Who has won work like this before, the likely incumbent, and what similar contracts paid, from USAspending.gov.
Before you respond
- How to respond to a solicitation (8 steps)
- How to read a government solicitation
- How to price a government contract
- Open SDVOSB set-aside contracts
Terms on this notice: Solicitation, SDVOSB (service-disabled veteran-owned small business), Set-aside
Full notice text from SAM.gov
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