U.S. General Services Administration

Construction Management and Engineering Consulting Services

Related to Real Property

Implementation Guide

Multiple Award Schedule - Professional Services Category

Updated July 2020

The purpose of this guide is to define the scope and application of services covered

under the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Special Item Number (SIN) 541330ENG,

which includes construction management and engineering consulting services related to

real property. For ease of reference, these services are referred throughout this

document as Real Property Management Services (RPMS).

Note: MAS does not include architect-engineer (A-E) services as defined in the Brooks

Act and Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 2 and 36. MAS does not include

design or construction services as defined in FAR Part 2 and Part 36. MAS does not

include Davis-Bacon Act work as described in FAR Subpart 22.4.

Real Property Management Services (RPMS) are defined as services in which the

RPMS contractor is responsible exclusively to the government agency and acts in the

government agency's interests at every stage of the project. The government agency

RPMS approach utilizes a firm (or team of firms) to temporarily expand the government

agency’s capabilities, allowing government agencies to successfully accomplish their

program or project. Schedule offerors must have project experience providing

Engineering or Construction Management services as a third party to be considered for

award. The RPMS contractor shall comply with the American Institute of Architects, the

Associated General Contractors, and the National Society of Professional Engineers

Standard Form of Agreements for Construction Management and the Construction

Management Association of America (CMAA).

The RPMS contractor performing the functions of a Construction Manager acts as an

advisor or consultant to the government to assist with executing a project that is

properly constructed, on time and on budget. As a Construction Manager, the RPMS

contractor is not involved with designing the project, performing the construction

of real property, or acting as a named party under the construction contract.

Page 1 of 13
U.S. General Services Administration

An example of how SIN 541330ENG works: An Agency is going to design and

construct a building. They need expert advice from a third-party construction company,

since they do not have all of the construction expertise. The Agency hires the

construction company that is going to design and construct the building for them and

you are the third-party consultant that is hired by the Agency to act as their eyes and

ears during the design and construction phases. Use caution here, because if you are

the third-party consultant then your company could be blocked from working as the

company hired to design and construct the building due to a conflict of interest. Some

construction companies have separated their company into two independent sections or

two separate companies so that this does not happen.

If the RPMS vendor’s offered project experience includes any portion of the following

services, it shall not receive an award of this Schedule: designing the construction

project, performing the construction of real property, or acting as a named party under

the construction contract. Projects where the vendor acted as the Construction Manager

over its own construction project are also unacceptable. It is permissible for RPMS

contractors to create concept designs to assist the government agency in formulating

ideas and budget cost, but in no way can the designs be used in the actual construction

of a project. The constructor/A-E firm creates the building designs. The RPMS

contractor may have reviewed and/or provided advice on such plans.

RPMS contractor’s roles and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the

following:

● In providing RPMS projects, the contractor acts as the government agency’s

designated agent and maintains a coordinating relationship with the government

agency, its clients, as well as, with the architect-engineers, construction

contractors and other contractors supporting the government.

● The RPMS is not contractually responsible for and does not assume the risk

of delivering the construction project on time and within budget. The RPMS

contractor does not have responsibility for the construction means, methods,

techniques, sequences or procedures, which are solely the construction

contractor’s responsibility.

● The RPMS contractor does not have Contracting Officer authority and may not

direct change orders or any work which may incur additional obligations.

● The RPMS contractor is not financially liable for the construction contractor’s

failure to carry out the work in accordance with the contract documents. Instead

the RPMS contractor endeavors to obtain satisfactory performance from each of

the construction contractors.

Page 2 of 13
U.S. General Services Administration

● The RPMS ensures work is performed in accordance with the contract

documents, to guard the government agency against defects and deficiencies.

● The certification of payment by the RPMS contractor does not replace the

Contracting Officer’s acceptance of work.

● The RPMS contractor shall not have responsibility for acts or omissions of the

construction contractors, subcontractors, or their agents or employees.

● The RPMS contractor makes no warranties relating to schedules or completion

dates, budgets, cost of work or project.

● The RPMS contractor has no liability for any errors or omissions in the

construction documents or any defects in the services attributable to the RPMS

contractor’s use of and/or good faith reliance upon the construction documents.

● Visits and observations by the RPMS contractor and the Resident Project

Representative are not intended to be exhaustive or to extend to every aspect of

the construction contractor’s work in progress or to involve detailed inspections of

the construction contractor’s work.

● The RPMS contractor’s role is limited to spot checking, selective sampling, and

similar methods of general observation of the work, based on the RPMS

contractor’s professional judgment.

● The RPMS contractor shall not supervise, direct, or have control over

construction contractor’s work.

● The RPMS contractor may review all certificates of inspections, test, and

approvals required by laws and regulations or contract documents.

● The RPMS contractor reviews the construction constructor’s certifications for

compliance with the contract documents. This review does not constitute an

independent evaluation that the content or procedures of such inspections, test,

or approvals comply with requirements of the contract documents.

● The RPMS contractor’s services do not necessarily require a licensed engineer

to perform the services of studies, investigations, evaluate site surveys; site

evaluations, tests, evaluations, consultations, comprehensive planning, program

management, conceptual designs, plans and specifications, value engineering,

construction phase services, soils engineering, drawing reviews, preparation of

operating and maintenance manuals and other related services (FAR Part

36.601-4(a)(3)). However, in performing RPMS a licensed engineer is often

desired in order to be in a position to better communicate with the design

architect and construction contractor.

● The RPMS contractor is expected to establish all necessary liaisons,

coordination, and support with any project-related agencies and representatives

of federal, state, regional, and local governments as appropriate for each task

order.

Page 3 of 13
U.S. General Services Administration

● The construction contractors are solely responsible for construction means,

methods, sequences and procedures used in the construction of the projects,

and for performance in accordance with their applicable government contract(s).

● The RPMS contractor may provide a Quality Control Superintendent (QCS) to

ensure delivery of day-to-day construction management services throughout all

phases of construction.

● The RPMS contractor may provide inspectors who physically inspect work for

code compliance and adherence to construction contract requirements,

recommend approvals or rejections of materials and workmanship and monitor

labor and safety requirements. The RPMS contractor should notify the

construction contractor and the government agency orally and in writing when

unsafe working conditions are observed.

● The RPMS should attempt to resolve problems, minimize claims, act to mitigate

circumstances that could lead to claims, and advise the government of any

potential disputes.

● The RPMS contractor should exercise due diligence to ensure that work is

performed in conformity with applicable requirements (codes, regulations,

standards, construction contract plans, and specifications, etc.).

The RPMS contractor offers advice, absent any conflicting interest, on matters such as:

1. Project Design Phase Services These services may include, but are not limited

to, the following:

● Subject matter expertise

● Delivery methods

● Design technical reviews

● Code compliance reviews

● Constructability reviews

● Analysis of value engineering proposals or Earned Value Management

Systems (EVMS)

● Preparation of cost estimates (including independent check estimates)

● Cost analysis

● Cost control/monitoring

● Energy studies

● Utility studies

● Site investigations

● Site evaluations (surveying cannot be done on schedule)

● Review of design scope changes

● Scheduling/Conducting/Documenting design related meetings

● Market studies

Page 4 of 13
U.S. General Services Administration

Note: Design Phase Services shall not result in certified designs

used for construction.

2. Project Procurement Phase Services These services may include, but are not

limited to, the following:

● Assisting Procurement Contracting Officers

● Assisting Contracting Officers in answering bid/RFP questions

● Attending/Participating in Site Visits

● Attending/Participating in Pre-Bid Conferences

● Preparing and issuing solicitation amendments for review and approval by

the Government Contracting Officer

● Performing Cost/Bid/Proposal Analysis

3. Project Construction Phase Services These services may include, but are not

limited to, the following:

● Assisting Administrative Contracting Officers

● Establishing temporary field offices

● Setting up job files, working folders, and record keeping

● Maintaining organized construction files

● Scheduling and conducting pre-construction meetings

● Documenting actions taken and decisions made

● Monitoring the submittal review process

● Review and monitoring of project schedules for construction progress with

emphasis on milestone completion dates, phasing requirements, workflow,

material deliveries, test dates

● Assisting in problem resolution and handling of disputed issues (including

development of Government position)

● Maintaining marked-up sets of project plans and specifications for future

as-built drawings

● Performing routine inspections of construction as work proceeds

● Taking action to identify work that does not conform to the contract

requirements and notifying the contractors when work requires correction

● Compiling, through site inspections, lists of defects and omissions related

to the work performed and providing these lists to the contractor for

correction

● Review of construction contractor payment requests (including preparation

of necessary forms for payment processing)

● Monitoring project financial data and budgetary cost accounting

Page 5 of 13
U.S. General Services Administration

● Administration of construction contract change orders (issuing proposal

requests, preparing cost estimates, reviewing cost proposals, assisting

agency in negotiations, preparing change order packages for processing)

● Scheduling, conducting, and documenting regular progress meetings with

all interested parties to review project status, discuss problems, and

resolve issues

● Scheduling, conducting, and documenting (prepare minutes, etc. for

distribution) construction related project meetings

● Monitoring construction contractor compliance with established safety

standards (note and report unsafe working conditions, failures to adhere to

safety plan required by construction contract)

● Monitoring construction contractor's compliance with contract labor

standards

● Coordination of construction activities with customer managers and

occupying agency personnel

● Monitoring the design and construction clarification process and, when

appropriate, reminding the A-E and other parties involved of the need for

timely actions

● Participating in all "partnering" activities during construction (workshops,

meetings, etc.)

● Preparing special reports and regular project status reports

● Providing for progress and/or final photographs of project work

● Evaluate site surveys

● Conduct investigations

● Provide assistance in obtaining permits

● Perform hazardous material assessments and monitoring of hazardous

material abatement work

● Provide cost estimating assistance

● Assisting Termination Contracting Officers

● Pre-occupancy evaluations

4. Fire Protection Services These services may include, but are not limited to, the

following: design review services, shop drawing and submittal reviews, inspection

and testing services, performing inspections and witnessing acceptance testing of

fire protection and life safety systems, construction inspection services, fire and

smoke modeling and analysis services, loss investigation services, technical

consultant services, conducting fire protection facility surveys, developing risk

reduction strategies and recommendations to mitigate identified risk conditions,

conducting research studies, maintenance program for fire protection and life safety

systems, and developing and completing fire safety evaluation worksheets.

Page 6 of 13
U.S. General Services Administration

Government agencies may use Fire Protection Engineer(s) (FPE) as its principal

agent to advise on or manage projects. The FPE assumes the position of

professional adviser and expands the government’s capabilities. The FPE frequently

helps the Government agency identify issues that protect people and their

environments from the destructive effects of fire and smoke. The FPE expertise is

used to temporarily expand the Government agency’s capabilities, so that the

Government agency can successfully accomplish its program or project, while

ensuring the safety of its people and property. The FPE provides expert advice in

support of the Government agency’s decisions in the implementation of the project.

The discipline of Fire Protection Engineering includes but is not limited to:

● Active fire protection - fire suppression systems, and fire alarm.

● Passive fire protection - fire and smoke barriers, space separation

● Smoke control and management

● Escape facilities- Emergency exits, Fire lifts, etc.

● Building design, layout, and space planning

● Fire prevention programs

● Fire dynamics and fire modeling

● Human behavior during fire events

● Risk analysis, including economic factors

The following services are allowed under SIN 541330ENG:

I. Design Review Services:

Perform design reviews for multiple stages of design (e.g., 75%, 95%, 100%,

etc.) for various planned building renovation projects and/or new construction

projects associated with fire protection and life safety systems. Design reviews,

may include, but are not limited to the following:

a. Review design drawings and specifications related to the fire protection and

life safety aspects of the design for compliance with government agency fire

protection and life safety requirements and applicable federal, state, regional,

and local government’s national codes and standards

b. Review the continuity of and coordination between drawings and contract

specifications related to the fire protection and life safety aspects of the

design

c. Review change orders and RFIs for projects

d. Review as-built drawings

Page 7 of 13
U.S. General Services Administration

e. Develop or review scope(s) for projects that impact building fire protection &

life safety systems

f. Develop or review project work items

g. Develop or review cost estimates for fire protection & life safety systems

h. Develop and review bid documents

i. Participate in design review meetings. Includes, participating in discussions

with government agency personnel, members of the design team, etc., to

discuss the design as well as review comments

II. Shop Drawing/Submittal Review Services:

a. Perform shop drawing/submittal reviews for projects (e.g., shop drawings,

calculations and product catalog data sheets, and other pertinent project

information)

b. Perform an evaluation to determine that proposed fire protection and life

safety systems and equipment and their associated components submitted

for review are in compliance with the contract specifications, design drawings,

manufacturer’s recommendations, government agency requirements, and the

applicable federal, state, regional, and local government’s national codes and

standards

c. Perform shop drawing/submittal reviews to determine any conflicts with the

design contract plans and specifications or any potential design changes that

may be needed during the submittal reviews (i.e., additional equipment,

relocation of equipment, etc.)

III. Inspection & Testing Services:

a. Review contract documents/drawings and notify contractors of potential

mechanical, construction and fire protection and life safety system

coordination issues

b. Develop or review pretesting protocols of fire protection and life safety

systems and equipment prior to testing

c. Perform site investigations to evaluate fire protection and life safety systems

and equipment for compliance with federal, state, regional, and local

government’s national codes and standards. Perform contractor performance

monitoring (e.g., preventive maintenance contractors, installation contractors,

etc.) associated with fire protection and life safety systems

d. Perform system inspections and analysis of existing fire protection and life

safety systems and equipment

e. Perform microbiologically influence corrosion analysis of fire sprinkler

systems

Page 8 of 13
U.S. General Services Administration

f. Witness acceptance testing of fire protection and life safety systems and

equipment (e.g., fixed fire suppression and control systems, fire alarm

systems, emergency communication systems, mass notification systems,

smoke control and management systems, normal and emergency power and

lighting systems, explosion prevention and control systems, fire and smoke

resistant assemblies, means of egress and components, and other active and

passive fire protection and life systems and equipment, etc.) and document

results, to evaluate operations and to verify adherence to construction

contract requirements (or the lease agreement, if applicable), applicable

federal, state, regional, and local government’s national codes and standards,

government agency requirements, and standard industry practices

IV. Construction Inspection Services:

a. Perform site inspection services at various levels of the construction process

(e.g., 50%, 75%, 95%, etc.). The inspections may include building

construction (i.e., fire and smoke rated walls, shafts, barriers, etc.), fire

protection and life safety systems, integrating with other building systems, etc.

to verify proper installation in accordance with the contract design drawings,

specifications (or solicitation if the project is lease construction), and

applicable federal, state, regional, and local government’s national codes and

standards

b. Provide central location for archiving and storage of building drawings,

computer files, design and construction correspondence, regulatory

information, EVMS, estimates/payment, QA/QC, materials, zoning, historical

preservation, energy and other special documents

V. Fire & Smoke Modeling/ Analysis Services:

a. Perform fire and smoke modeling to analyze fire growth, smoke development

and movement, fuel load, egress times, smoke management designs,

suppression system activation, structural fire engineering, etc. Review fire

and smoke modeling reports

b. Perform or review fire hazard analysis to determine national Fire Code

limitations, commodity compatibility, compartmentalization issues,

suppression system design criteria, etc.

Page 9 of 13
U.S. General Services Administration

VI. Loss Investigation Services:

a. Perform site investigation to identify probable causes for losses (i.e., fire,

explosions), incident reconstruction, system failures, federal, state, regional,

and local government’s national codes and standards compliance analysis,

etc.

VII. Technical Consultant Services:

a. Perform technical fire protection engineering consultant services which may

include, but are not limited to the following:

i. Perform facility fire protection engineering and/or life safety assessments

ii. Perform national building and fire code analysis

iii. Perform analyses of fire protection water supplies, fire sprinkler systems,

fire pumps, etc.

iv. Perform or review interpretations of requirements in federal, state,

regional, and local government’s national codes and standards

v. Perform fire protection water supply testing

vi. Perform quality assurance/control and oversee fire protection contractors

operation, inspection, testing, and maintenance practices

vii. Perform accessibility compliance review

viii. Perform joint commission assessments

ix. Perform fire risk assessments to identify risks, assess risks, and to

develop economic strategies to mitigate those identified risks

x. Perform egress analysis, fire and life safety evaluations, human behavior

analysis, performance-based analysis, etc.

xi. Review fire protection policy documents, design guides, etc.

xii. Review engineering reports or studies which relate to fire protection

xiii. Review contractor-conducted facility fire protection engineering and/or life

safety assessments

xiv. Review adequacy of occupant egress and other fire protection systems

within a facility

xv. Review products (e.g., electronic door locking system, polybutylene fire

sprinkler piping, flammable liquid container performance, etc.) for federal,

state, regional, and local government’s national codes and standards

compliance

xvi. Develop or review risk reduction strategies based on unique

characteristics of the facility

xvii. Develop or review fire protection related specifications

xviii. Develop or review government agency fire protection technical guidance

Page 10 of 13
U.S. General Services Administration

xix. Develop or review exit calculations, fire pump calculations, risk

assessments, hydraulic sprinkler calculations, etc.

xx. Develop or review alternative design methods for building code

compliance

xxi. Develop or review wildland exposure analysis/wildland interface analysis

to identify the fire and life safety hazards of an urban wildland interface

area

xxii. Develop or review fire protection and life safety master plans

xxiii. Develop or review facility occupant emergency evacuation plan

xxiv. Develop or review approaches that integrate various building systems into

a comprehensive fire protection and life safety package

xxv. Develop or review fire protection related training materials for government

agency personnel and customers

xxvi. Develop or review fire protection engineering analyses to demonstrate

equivalent level of fire safety for office buildings

xxvii. Evaluate capability of existing fire protection and life safety systems and

equipment

xxviii. Evaluate and report on building systems for feasibility for integrating with

fire protection and life safety systems and equipment (e.g. extinguishers)

5. Commissioning Services: The RPMS contractor must be able to provide any

level of commissioning needed from total support to specialty services. These

services may include, but are not limited to, the following:

● Professional and technical expertise for assistance with start-up,

calibration, and/or certification of a facility or operating systems within a

facility, to include commissioning of fire protection and life safety systems

and equipment

● Start-up planning, forecasting start-up duration, estimating start-up costs,

determining start-up objectives, organizing start-up teams and team

assignments, testing building system components, conducting

performance tests

● Witness commissioning of fire protection and life safety systems and

equipment

● Perform commissioning of fire protection and life safety systems and

equipment

6. Testing Services: The RPMS contractor may be tasked to provide the services

of an independent testing agency/laboratory to perform project specific quality

control testing and inspection services. These services may include, but are not

limited to the following: Testing and inspection of soils, concrete, precast

concrete connections, steel, steel decking, applied fireproofing, roofing, curtain

walls/glazing, and elevator installations

Page 11 of 13
U.S. General Services Administration

7. Claims Services: The RPMS contractor may be tasked to provide claims

services when and as required by the government for specific projects. The

RPMS contractor will review disputes and claims from the A-E and/or

construction contractor(s) and render all assistance that the government may

require, including, but not limited to, the following:

● Furnishing reports with supporting information necessary to resolve

disputes or defend against the claims

● Preparation and assembly of appeal files

● Participation in meetings or negotiations with claimants

● Appearance in legal proceedings

● Preparation of cost estimates for use in claims negotiations

● Preparation of risk assessments/analyses relative to claim exposures

● Preparation of findings of fact and any other documentation required by

the Government

8. Post Construction Services: At or near substantial completion of project

construction, the RPMS contractor may be tasked to provide services including,

but not limited to, the following:

● Performing Post Occupancy Evaluations (POEs)

● Assisting government agencies in the formulation of lessons learned

● Providing occupancy planning including development of move schedules,

cost estimates, inventory lists, etc.

● Providing move coordination, relocation assistance, and/or furniture

coordination

9. Pre-Demolition Services:

● Scrapping evaluation, analysis, estimating and disposal reporting for

material recovery

Other engineering consulting disciplines relating to RPMS include:

● Mechanical engineering

● Electrical engineering

● Forensic engineering

● Structural engineering

Page 12 of 13
U.S. General Services Administration

Tasks that may be performed in relation to these services include services like those

described in the Fire Protection Engineering Services section above, such as:

● Design reviews

● Shop drawing/submittal reviews

● Inspection and testing services

● Witnessing acceptance tests of equipment and systems

● Commissioning services

● Modeling and analysis

● Loss investigation

● Facility surveys

● Safety evaluations

● Research studies

● Risk mitigation analysis, reporting, and consulting

● Strategy development relating to engineering projects/programs

● Other related technical consulting services

Page 13 of 13