Request for Proposal --- Department of State Design/Build Construction Services for New Embassy Compound in Tallinn, Estonia

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document provides responses to vendor questions regarding the RFP 19AQMM26R0086, Phase I – Minimum Mandatory Requirements for Design/Build Construction Services for Tallinn NEC.

• Subcontractor Site Visit: Subcontractors can attend the site visit with their associated Prime Offeror. Details for Phase II RFP will outline the timing and process for eligible offerors.
• Cleared American Workers: The Phase I – MMR attachment specifies the facility clearance requirements for the project.
• Proposal Timeline: The due date listed in Phase I – MMR of the solicitation posted to SAM.gov is the response date for Prime Offerors, not necessarily the final proposal submission.
• Design Brief: All information currently available from DOS and required for Phase I – MMR submission is posted to SAM.gov.

This document clarifies participation for subcontractors in site visits and confirms where to find facility clearance requirements and submission deadlines. It indicates that further details will be provided in the Phase II RFP.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation is for Design-Build Construction Services for a new U.S. Department of State Embassy Compound (NEC) in Tallinn, Estonia. The project involves constructing a chancery, access control facilities, support annex, utility building, mail screening facility, marine security guard residence, and perimeter walls. The estimated construction cost is $250-$395 million.

• Design and construction of a new embassy compound.

• Facilities include: chancery (10,077 GSM), support annex, utility building (1,508 GSM), Marine Security Guard Residence (MSGR) (~1,103 GSM), and parking.

• Construction of full-height perimeter walls.

• Bridging level design documents will be provided; the contractor must develop them to 100% final design.

• This is a Design-Build contract.

• Estimated Design/Build Construction Cost: $250-$395 million.

• This solicitation is a two-phase process:

  • Phase I: Minimum Mandatory Requirements (MMRs) for eligibility determination.
  • Phase II: Request for Proposals (RFP) for eligible/conditionally eligible offerors, including technical and pricing proposals.

• Phase I proposals are due by 3:00 P.M. Eastern Time on May 13, 2026.

• Submission is electronic via email or Google Drive to specified FAN.gov addresses.

• Clarification requests are due by 2:00 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time on April 17, 2026.

• Full and open competition.

• Offerors must be U.S. Persons or U.S. Joint Venture Persons.

• MMR #1: U.S. Person Statement of Qualifications, demonstrating experience with contracts of at least $137.5 million (adjusted for inflation).

• MMR #2: Secret facility security clearance (FCL) with Secret safeguarding capability. DOS will sponsor firms without an FCL.

• MMR #3: Active SAM.gov registration.

• Firms from specific countries are ineligible.

• Offerors must provide inflation-adjusted values for comparable projects using the Engineering News-Record Building Cost Index (ENR BCI).

• The government will not pay for information submitted in response to this announcement or for costs incurred in proposal development/submission.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a "Statement of Qualifications" required for bidders to demonstrate eligibility for certain Federal contracts, specifically those related to Section 402 of the Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-399), as amended. It requires potential offerors to provide specific information and certifications to prove they meet the criteria to be considered a "United States person" or a "qualified United States Joint Venture person."

• Certifications 1-6: Bidders must complete all six certifications.
• Certification 1: Organization's incorporation or legal organization status and location (Attachment required - Tab A).
• Certification 2: Principal place of business and tax filing information.
• Certification 3: Date of incorporation/legal organization and demonstration of at least 5 years in business (Attachment required - Tab B if applicable).
• Certification 4: Details of similar projects completed or substantially completed, including location, type of service, complexity, type of construction, completion date, and value (Attachment required - Tab C if necessary).
• Certification 5: Employment statistics regarding U.S. citizens in principal management, permanent full-time, and supervisory positions.
• Certification 6: Information regarding joint venture status and ownership percentages.
• Signatures: The document must be signed by an authorized representative, attesting to the accuracy of the information provided.

This form is critical for determining a bidder's eligibility to be awarded contracts under Public Law 99-399. Failure to accurately complete and submit this Statement of Qualifications, along with all required attachments, may result in disqualification. Bidders must carefully review the definitions and requirements for each certification to ensure they meet the U.S. person or U.S. joint venture criteria.

Other / Unclassified

This document is a reminder from the U.S. Department of State (DOS) to contractors supporting Overseas Building Operations (OBO) programs regarding U.S. Flag Carrier Air Transportation Requirements and U.S. Flag Commercial Vessel Shipment Requirements. It emphasizes adherence to contract clauses 52.247-63 (Preference for U.S.-Flag Air Carriers) and 52.247-64 (Preference for Privately Owned U.S.-Flag Commercial Vessels).

• Air Transportation: Contractors must use U.S.-flag air carriers for U.S. Government-financed international air transportation of personnel and property, as per the Fly America Act. If U.S. carriers are unavailable, a "Statement of Unavailability of U.S.-Flag Air Carrier" must be submitted.
• Ocean Cargo: For ocean-borne cargo, contractors must comply with U.S. Cargo shipment requirements, including the preference for U.S.-flag commercial vessels. Documentation, including a legible copy of the onboard rated ocean bill of lading, must be submitted to the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and the Maritime Administration (MARAD) within specified timeframes (20 working days for U.S. origin, 30 for outside U.S.).
• Subcontractors: The substance of these clauses must be included in subcontracts involving international transportation.
• Reporting: All government-impelled ocean cargo documentation must be reported to MARAD. Freight forwarders can submit "BUSINESS SENSITIVE" information directly to MARAD.
• Resources: Links are provided for further information on Cargo Preference and U.S.-Flag Vessel Listings. The full text of relevant FAR clauses is available at acquisition.gov/far.
• Inquiries: Contractors should direct questions regarding these requirements to the designated COR and/or Contracting Specialist/Officer.

Other / Unclassified

This document serves as a reminder and directive to all prime contractors and subcontractors supporting projects for the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) regarding the public release of information. It strictly prohibits any public release of information related to OBO projects (design, construction, or other services) without written approval from a Contracting Officer and OBOPublicRelease@state.gov.

Companies wishing to release content must submit requests to OBOPublicRelease@state.gov for review and clearance. This applies to all forms of media, including photographs, social media, award submissions, websites, and interviews. The prohibition extends to all tiers of subcontractors, who must submit their requests through the prime contractor.

Key points include:

• All content cleared before January 20, 2025, must be resubmitted for review if intended for re-release, social media, or new public-facing materials.
• When resubmitting, references to sustainability or diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) should be removed or reframed according to new administration priorities (focusing on building performance, using "adaptation" instead of "resilience," and removing terms "climate" and "sustainability"). LEED certifications are permitted.
• All documents and records generated during OBO projects are the exclusive property of the U.S. Government and cannot be published or disseminated without prior written authorization.
• Information is considered sensitive and must be safeguarded.
• For future requests, include the contract or task order number and ensure files are named consistently and compressed to under 25MB.

This document is critical for bidders to understand the strict protocols and requirements for any public communication or release of information related to OBO projects. Failure to comply can result in prohibitions on publication. It highlights the need for careful coordination and adherence to government review processes before any public-facing activities.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This is a pre-solicitation notice for a Design-Build Construction Contract for a New Embassy Compound (NEC) in Tallinn, Estonia. The U.S. Department of State (DOS), Bureau of Global Acquisitions, is seeking design and construction services for this project. The acquisition is for full and open competition.

• Design-Build Construction Services for a New Embassy Compound.

• Construction of a chancery, new main and service compound access control facilities (MCAC/SCAC), a support annex (maintenance, vehicle maintenance, on-site storage), a utility building, a mail screening facility, a marine security guard residence (MSGR), and staff/visitor/official parking.

• Construction of full-height perimeter walls.

• The selected contractor will be responsible for developing bridging documents to 100% final design and completing all construction work.

• Services include architecture, civil, structural, geotechnical, seismic, blast, mechanical, electrical, telecommunication, fire protection engineering, sustainable design, energy conservation, space planning, interior design, physical and technical security, vertical transportation, lighting, and landscape design.

• Contract type: Firm fixed-price.

• Estimated Design/Build Construction Cost: $250-$395 million.

• The solicitation will consist of two phases:

  • Phase I: Minimum Mandatory Requirements (MMRs) for eligibility determination.
  • Phase II: Request for Proposals (Technical and Price) from eligible or conditionally eligible offerors.

• Offerors must have an Active SAM.gov registration at the time of Phase I proposal submission.

• A pre-proposal conference and site visit are anticipated 10-15 days after the Phase II RFP issuance.

• Full and open competition.

• Offerors must meet Phase I MMRs to be eligible for Phase II.

• A Secret Facility Clearance (FCL) with Secret safeguarding capability is required. The Department of State will sponsor uncleared firms for an FCL if determined eligible or conditionally eligible in Phase I. Foreign firms are not eligible for FCLs.

• The solicitation, Phase I – Minimum Mandatory Requirements, is planned for release on SAM.gov on/about April 13, 2026.

• Interested companies do not need to submit documentation at this time.