The Associate Executive Director, Office of Facilities Engineering, for Central Office; the Director, Office of Construction Management, for National Cemetery Administration; the Senior Executive Service (SES) official for Administration and Facilities for Veterans Benefits Administration; and the Chief, Engineering Service, for field facilities, are responsible for collecting Standard Forms 330 and maintaining a data file on architect-engineer qualifications.

(a) When the contract price is estimated to be $50,000 or more, the contracting officer shall use VA Form 6298, Architect-Engineer Fee Proposal, to obtain the proposal and supporting cost data from the proposed contractor and subcontractor in the negotiation of an A-E contract for design services.

(b) In obtaining A-E services for research study, seismic study, master planning study, construction management and other related services contracts, the contracting officer shall use VA Form 6298, supplemented or modified as needed for the particular project type.

(a) The production and delivery of designs, plans, drawings, and specifications shall not exceed 6 percent of the estimated cost of construction. Other A-E fees are not included in this 6 percent. Such fees are delineated in reference (c) below.

(b) The 6 percent limit also applies to contract modifications, including modifications involving:

(1) Work not initially included in the contract. Apply the 6 percent limit to the revised total estimated construction cost.

(2) Redesign. Apply the 6 percent limit as follows -

(i) Add the estimated construction cost of the redesign features to the original estimated construction cost;

(ii) Add the contract cost for the original design to the contract cost for redesign; and

(iii) Divide the total contract design cost by the total estimated construction cost. The resulting percentage may not exceed the 6 percent statutory limitation.

(c) The 6 percent fee limitation does not apply to the following architect or engineer services:

(1) Investigative services including but not limited to -

(i) Determination of program requirements, including schematic or preliminary plans and estimates;

(ii) Determination of feasibility of proposed project;

(iii) Preparation of measured drawings of existing facility;

(iv) Subsurface investigation;

(v) Structural, electrical, and mechanical investigation of existing facility;

(vi) Surveys: topographic, boundary, utilities, etc.;

(vii) Environmental services;

(viii) Geo-Tech studies; and

(ix) Feasibility studies.

(2) Special consultant services that are not normally available in organizations of architects or engineers and that are not specifically applied to the actual preparation of working drawings or specifications of the project for which the service are required.

(3) Other -

(i) Reproduction of approved designs through models, color renderings, photographs, or other presentation media;

(ii) Travel and per diem allowances other than those required for the development and review of working drawings and specifications;

(iii) Supervision or inspection of construction, review of shop drawings or samples, and other services performed during the construction phase;

(iv) All other services that are not an integral part of the production and delivery of plans, designs, and specifications; and

(v) The cost of reproducing drawings and specifications for bidding and their distribution to prospective bidders and plan file rooms.