Work Smart with the SCA McGraw-Hill Supplement - 28

A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO NEW YORK CONSTRUCTION electric and HVAC) must be named by the prime as part of the bid should they be required under the scope of work. Advertised bids are typically used for construction jobs with an estimated construction value between $1 million and $4 million, and are announced via email to quali" ed " rms through public notices (e.g., the City Record, CDS, Dodge, various trade publications and on the SCA website). Limited list bids are open only to an invited group of " ve or more prequali" ed contractors and are typically used for Capital Improvement projects estimated at more than $4 million, Capacity projects (new construction, additions and build-outs), and Mentor and Graduate Mentor projects. Mentor projects are typically valued at less than $1 million and are restricted to a list of prequali" ed and certi" ed MWLBE " rms enrolled in the SCA Mentor/Graduate Mentor Programs. “Regardless of how they are sent out, in order to submit a bid as a prime contractor for a construction solicitation, " rms must be quali" ed at the time of bid opening,” says Cowhey. Hard bids are awarded to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder. Advertised bids and limited list bids are both listed online. A six-month “look ahead” of anticipated future bids is also available online. MINORITY, WOMEN AND LOCALLY BASED ENTERPRISE (MWLBE) PARTICIPATION The SCA is strongly committed to promoting diversity in its bidding and proposal processes. In an effort to include MWBEs in the RFP process, the Negotiations Unit sends solicitation requirements and proposed lists of " rms to the Senior Director of the SCA Business Development Division (BDD) before an RFP is sent out. BDD reviews the database of certi" ed " rms, and performs additional outreach as necessary, in order to add appropriate " rms. Cowhey encourages MWBE " rms to closely monitor the SCA website and sources such as the City Record, and to contact the Negotiations Unit or BDD staff if they are interested in being included on the list for any RFP for which they are quali" ed. As described above, the SCA also strongly encourages and supports the participation of MWLBE " rms in the hard bid process. Emerging MWLBE " rms may qualify to compete for most projects valued at under $1 million via the Mentor and Mentor Graduate Programs, and the SCA is aggressively seeking to attract larger MWLBE " rms quali" ed to compete for CIP and Capacity projects. More information about the SCA’s Business Development initiatives is available online. MWLBE " rms may also compete for work as subconsultants and subcontractors by contacting prime contractors and consultants who receive awards. The SCA includes MWLBE subcontracting requirements in all of its hard bid contracts, and incorporates MWBE participation as a selection criterion in most consultant RFPs. A BIT OF ADVICE “I believe the biggest misunderstanding is when a contractor bids an advertised construction project because they are quali" ed with the SCA, but not in the right trade,” says Cowhey. “Quali" cation is trade-speci" c, and not all contractors are quali" ed to bid all projects. A good deal of time and money is wasted when a contractor puts together a bid for which their " rm is not quali" ed,” she says. The SCA recommends that if you are in doubt about whether your " rm is quali" ed in the right trade and with a high enough bid ceiling (based on a review of " nancial data) for a speci" c project, contact the Contractor Quali" cation hotline at 718-742-8777 for con" rmation. Capello encourages " rms to take advantage of services offered on the SCA website, such as the six-month ‘look ahead’ feature and a list of SCA projects currently out to bid, as well as monthly updates of all anticipated Requests for Proposal. LOOKING TO THE FUTURE: AUTOMATION While the SCA’s bidding processes have remained constant for many years, signi" cant change is in the works. “We are in the process of developing the bid and award module of our new Vendor Access System (VAS),” says Cowhey. “Once launched, bidding opportunities will be easier to " nd and understand, consultants and contractors will have a more ef" cient and effective means of communicating with us, and it will automate and streamline the pre- and post-bid work " ow.” The SCA is currently hard at work designing the new VAS module, and expects to have it up and running during calendar year 2010. ■ TOP TIPS FOR SUBMITTING CONSTRUCTION BIDS AND RFPS TO THE SCA Construction Bids (Contractors): • Sign your bid. • Make sure the bid amount in words matches the bid amount in numbers. • Submit the required Wicks trade subcontractors along with your bid, with the associated estimated dollar amounts. • Make sure your " rm is prequali" ed at the time of bid in the required trades to be awarded a speci" c project. • Read the Invitation to Bid letter and Phasing Exhibit carefully, as both contain important project-speci" c requirements. RFPs (Consultants): • Make sure your " rm meets the minimum requirements as speci" ed in the RFP, and respond clearly to speci" cs for services required. • Be sure to address MWBE requirements and submit all associated certi" cations. • Submit your cost proposal on the forms provided in the RFP. • Submit " nancial information. • Submit your online prequali" cation application in advance of or immediately after you submit your proposal (if you are not already prequali" ed).

Work Smart with the SCA McGraw-Hill Supplement

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Work Smart with the SCA McGraw-Hill Supplement