Notice of Intent to Sole Source AE Services

This notice is for informational purposes only. Under the authority of FAR 6.302-1(a), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Charleston District intends to issue a contract action on a sole-source basis to Watson Engineering (Designer of Record or DOR). This sole-source contract action will acquire follow-on architect-engineer (A-E) design services from the DOR to update the design for the VHA CHS Charlie and Delta Road Decks project at the VHA Ralph H. Johnson Medical Center.

The firm previously delivered a 100% complete, highly complex design, including pile-supported decks and seismic analysis, for this project on July 20, 2025. The AE services will include updating the existing design documents to meet current design criteria, updating the project cost estimate, and converting the legacy VA specifications into the required UFGS (SpecsIntact) format.

The services will also include administrative updates to the 100% design and may include support during solicitation through the award of construction, as well as an Option to provide Construction Phase Services (CPS).The AE shall update the design package that was previously completed to ensure compliance with current codes and USACE standards.

Awarding this action to the DOR ensures the project design reflects these updates without causing a substantial duplication of costs or unacceptable delays to the Government. Hiring a new firm would require reverse-engineering the native CAD and structural models currently owned by the DOR. Furthermore, utilizing the DOR maintains clear professional liability for the stamped drawings and allows the administrative update to be executed efficiently within the required 120-day window.