This Sources Sought Notice is being issued for informational purposes only as market research to determine the availability, capability, and interest of firms for a potential Government requirement. This is not a request for proposal. It does not constitute a solicitation and shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government. Responses in any form are not offers and the Government is under no obligation to award a contract as a result of this announcement. No funds are available to pay for preparation of responses to this announcement. Any information submitted by respondents to this sources sought synopsis is strictly voluntary. Responses will be used to determine potential acquisition strategies, understand current market capabilities, and to gain knowledge of potential sources.
GENERAL SCOPE:
The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center anticipates a potential requirement for military construction (MILCON) of a Sentinel Utility Corridor at FEW AFB missile fields located within Wyoming (WY), Colorado (CO) and Nebraska (NE). This requirement is anticipated to be accomplished as a design-bid-build (DBB) project delivery method. The project execution window is currently anticipated between 2026-2029.
This is a mission-critical effort to install/construct an estimated 1600-2000 miles of utility corridors. This project may include installation of conduits (trenching, boring, direction drilling), communication lines, construction of pull vaults and manholes, and boring under roadways, rivers, railways, etc. and the purchase/installation of the communications media. All facilities and utility systems will be permanent construction in accordance with applicable Department of Defense Unified Facilities Criteria, including but not limited to 1-200-01, General Building requirements and 4-010-01 Antiterrorism/Force Protection requirements. Additionally, the Utility Corridor will be equipped with water intrusion/control measures. Additional information about the program can be found in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) which is located here: https://www.afgsc.af.mil/Sentinel/Environmental-Impact-Statement/
In accordance with Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 236.204(v), the Government currently estimates the magnitude of construction for the potential project is over $500,000,000.
The North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for the potential requirement is anticipated to be 237130 Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction. The small business size standard for the NAICS, as established by the U.S. Small Business Administration, is $45,000,000 annual revenue. The Product Service Code for the potential requirement is anticipated to be Y1NZ, Construction of Other Utilities.
If there is a reasonable expectation that at least two (2) responsible small business concerns under this NAICS can provide the anticipated services at fair market prices, the Contracting Officer is required to set the acquisition aside for small business concerns. If competition is set-aside for small businesses, Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting, requires that general construction small business Contractors self-perform at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the cost of the contract, not including the cost of materials. If no set aside is made and the requirement is competed with full and open competition, and the awarded Contractor is not a small business, the Contractor will be required to self-perform the percentage of work identified in the solicitation under FAR 52.236-1, Performance of Work by the Contractor.
Contractors with the skill, capabilities, workload capacity, and ability to obtain bonding to complete the project described above (either through self-performance and/or Subcontractor management) are invited to provide capability statements to the primary point of contact listed below. Since information received from this sources sought synopsis will be used to make acquisition decisions, both small businesses and other than small businesses are encouraged to submit Capability Statements.
CAPABILITY STATEMENT:
Responses must be limited to sixteen (16) 8.5 x 11 inch pages with a minimum font size of point 12.
Please provide the following information:
1) Company name, System for Award Management Unique Entity Identification number (SAM UEID) or Employer Identification Number (EIN), CAGE, address, point of contact name, contact phone number, contact e-mail address, and statement identifying whether the company employs union or non-union workers.
2) Experience and capability to complete contracts of similar magnitude and complexity to the potential requirement, including up to five (5) examples of comparable work performed within the past ten (10) years.
A) in a rural environment with frost and/or plow depth considerations
B) utilizing horizontal directional drilling/boring and trenching
C) requiring coordination with private and public (Federal, State, County or City governments) landowners
A) Project name, location, detailed description of the project, description of the work performed (identification of self-performance and/or Subcontractor management);
B) Customer name, customer satisfaction;
C) Start and end dates of construction work, and whether the project was completed on time;
D) Projects Initial Cost Estimate vs. Actual Final Cost;
E) Number of craft trades present on the project;
F) Whether there were any challenges experienced during the project (delays, investigations, health and safety issues, labor shortages, management/organizational issues, etc.); and
G) Whether a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) was used (see the PLA survey section below)
3) Business size and socioeconomic type for NAICS 237130 (ex: Woman-Owned Small Business, Serviced-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB), certified Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone), 8(a) Participant, small business, or other than small business (large business)).
4) Bonding capability of both single project and aggregate (in the form of a Surety letter).
5) PLA Survey. A PLA is a pre-hire collective bargaining agreement with labor organization(s) that establishes the terms and conditions of employment for a specific construction project. Pursuant to Executive Order 14063, Use of Project Labor Agreements for Federal Construction Projects, agencies are mandated to use PLAs for large-scale construction projects (defined as projects where the total cost to the Government of the project is estimated to be at least $35,000,000.00) unless exempted by the agency Senior Procurement Executive.
A) Do you have knowledge that a PLA has been used in the local area on projects of this kind? If so, please provide supporting documentation.
B) Are you aware of skilled labor shortages in the area for those crafts that will be needed to complete the referenced project? If so, please elaborate and provide supporting documentation where possible.
C) Are you aware of time sensitive issues/scheduling requirements that would affect the rate at which the referenced project should be completed? If so, please elaborate and provide supporting documentation where possible.
D) Identify specific reasons why or how you believe a PLA would advance the Federal Government’s interest in achieving economy and efficiency in Federal procurement.
E) Identify specific reasons why you do not believe a PLA would advance the Federal Government’s interest in achieving economy and efficiency in Federal procurement.
F) Identify any additional information you believe should be considered on the use of a PLA on the referenced project.
G) Identify any additional information you believe should be considered on the non-use of a PLA on the referenced project.
H) Have PLAs been used on similar projects undertaken by Federal, State, municipal, or private entities in the geographic area where work will be performed? If so, please provide contract number(s) and points of contact.
I) Will multiple construction Contractors and/or Subcontractors employing workers in multiple crafts or trades be required to complete the anticipated work?
J) Is it difficult to recruit or retain a skilled workforce in the anticipated work location?
K) Do you think completion of the project will require an extended period of time?
L) Do you anticipate any unique, compelling, time-sensitive issues, or other schedule requirements to complete the anticipated work (aside from those already noted) or that would affect the rate at which the anticipated project could be completed? If so, please elaborate and provide supporting documentation where possible.
M) Are you aware of any other large-scale projects begin completed in the area during the anticipated period of performance?
N) Do you think requiring a PLA will increase contract costs or contribute to cost savings? Why or why not? How?
O) How do open shop and union wage rates influence prevailing wage rates in the local market area? How does unionization in the local market impact wages? Please provide supporting documentation.
P) Do you think requiring a PLA will increase contract risk? Why or why not? How?
Q) If you have previously been party to a PLA, approximately how long did it take to negotiate the terms of the PLA? Did PLA negotiation delay construction start? If so, by how long?
R) Any other information you think should be considered regarding the use of PLAs for the anticipated project.
Please submit all capabilities statements, information, brochures, and/or marketing material as one (1) document, limited to the page maximum above.
Responses will not be considered an offer, proposal, or bid for any solicitation that may result from this Notice. Moreover, responses will not restrict the Government to an acquisition approach. This Notice is for information and planning purposes only. Respondents will not be notified of the results of any review conducted or the capability statements received.
Please provide responses and/or questions by e-mail to Peggy Japngie Lizotte at peggy.japngie_lizotte.1@us.af.mil and Britanie Butler at britanie.butler@us.af.mil no later than 2:00 PM MST, 10 DECEMBER 2024. Please include in the e-mail subject line the Sources Sought Notice number and project title, ‘FA8219-24-R-UCFEW - Sentinel Utility Corridor, F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming’. Hard copies (hand delivered or mailed) or telephone inquiries will NOT be accepted.
