A08 - Sources Sought_BRIP Flushing Lock.pdf

Sources Sought/Request for Information Brandon Road Interbasin Project – Increment II – Flushing Lock

Purpose and Objectives:

The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of all qualified small business sources; (2) whether they are small or large businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service-disabled, veteran- owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; and (3) their understanding, capabilities and experience relative to the proposed acquisition to assist the Government in determining the expectation of receiving bids from responsible small business contractors at fair market prices. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set- aside is possible. An organization that is not under the applicable NAICS code can submit a response to this notice, however their capabilities may/may not be assessed for the purposes of this notice.

A determination by the Government not to compete this requirement as a set-aside based upon responses to this Notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.

The Corps of Engineers (COE), Rock Island District does not intend to award a contract on the basis of responses received, however as a result of this Sources Sought Notice, the COE may issue a Request for Proposal (RFP).

Interested parties are expected to review this Notice and the Project Requirements to familiarize themselves with the requirements of this project.

NAICS Code and Size Standard:

In the event an RFP is issued, North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 237990 Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction.

Solicitation Type:

The Government is considering using a FAR 15 Best Value Trade Off Method for solicitation of this project.

Estimated Range: $25M to $100M

Background:

The Brandon Road Interbasin Project (BRIP) is located at and immediately downstream of the Brandon Road Lock and Dam as shown in Figure 1. The navigation lock is located near Illinois Waterway River Mile No. 286 on the Des Plaines River in the City of Joliet, Illinois in Will County. The BRIP was developed to control the upstream transfer of aquatic nuisance species (ANS) at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam on the Des Plaines River. The overall project has several components including an Engineered Channel (EC) in the area immediately downstream of the Brandon Road Lock and a flushing lock feature added to the lock itself as shown in Figure 2. Within the EC, several deterrents are proposed to be further modeled, developed, and designed and include: (1) electric deterrent; (2) acoustic fish deterrents; and

(3) air bubble deterrents, with additional EC area for future deterrent technologies. Other features of the overall project include upstream and downstream boat ramps to provide access to the waterway for monitoring, utility installations to support the project, and support facilities. The entirety of the project has been divided into three (3) separate design and construction increments, specifically Risk Reduction Increments 1, 2 and 3. The focus of this sources sought is Increment II – Flushing Lock.

Figure 1 Site Location

Figure 2 Current Design Layout

Project Requirements:

Increment II- Flushing Lock of the project

Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet, Illinois, has been identified as the critical pinch point where layered technologies could be used to prevent movement of invasive carp populations into the Great Lakes. The lock flushing system intended to reduce the risk of ANS from passing northward through Brandon Road LD. This system is a modification of the existing filling emptying (F/E) system and must perform as both a lock flushing system and the F/E system. Remote operation of the headgates is a feature of this project. Lock operators must ensure sufficient water remains in the upper pool during flushing for navigation. Water used to flush the lock must be offset by reducing the water passing through the dam. Two headgates and their machinery will be replaced as part of this project to allow lock operators perform this function.

This will be a construction contract to be primarily constructed during 2027 to 2029.

Capability Statement/Information Sought:

All parties interested in this project must demonstrate that they would have the potential to be a responsive and responsible contractor for the following project technical criteria.

Tailored Capability Statements shall demonstrate a clear understanding of all tasks specified in the draft Project Requirements. Tailored Capability Statements for this requirement shall address the following areas:

1. Company Name, DUNS/CAGE (If your company does not have at the time of this sources sought, please be aware that you will be required to register your company in the System of Award Management (SAM) system to be eligible for any future Federal contracts), POC information including an email, and your current small business status for the NAICS code listed above.

2. All parties interested in this project must demonstrate that they would have the potential to be a responsive and responsible contractor and demonstrate the ability to meet the mandatory criteria as noted below:

• Experience performing in a relatively constrained work site

• Experience working in marine setting with active navigation traffic.

• Experience working around a lock and dam structure

• Experience dewatering lock chamber and navigation channel

• Experience coordinating critical manufacturing, delivery and installation of major site components to meet schedule

• Experience with fabrication of lock and dam components to include machinery, hydraulic steel and hydraulic composite control structures.

• Experience and description for construction methods for the rock excavation and concrete placement for bottom of lock chamber.

• Experience and description of construction methods and sequencing to install deterrents in the trenches, minimizing impacts to navigation.

• Experience and description of construction projects involving marine work.

• Experience and description of sequencing and processes with precast unit manufacturing, construction, and installation.

• Experience and description of construction methods including incorporating material ordering lead times into the schedule for construction lock and dam modifications.

• Experience and description to demonstrate ability to coordinate and work with the ComEd, AT&T and Comcast utilities during construction.

• Describe how and who will anticipate, manage, and correct potential corrective measures that arise during construction.

• Submit a critical path method construction schedule and narrative demonstrating a logical and efficient sequence for completing the work.

3. Project examples with similar complexity and scope (and ideally including all of the mandatory criteria above). Examples should include all pertinent information regarding the requirements to clearly demonstrate the understanding and abilities of your company. If you performed previous work as a part of a team, with subcontractors (or other arrangements) please provide information on that relationship, tasks performed by team members etc. to be able to provide the Government with a sense of prime contract management as well as team member/subcontractor management. All project examples shall contain a general scope of work, contractor’s role in the project, percentage of work completed by the Offeror, award and final construction costs, initial and actual schedule for completion. If applicable, include additional information describing the reasons for cost and schedule growth along with avoidance measures for this project.

4. Description of how you would be capable of performing the work, either by 100% self-performance or through teaming. Specifically, if you would not be self-performing 100% of the work, please provide:

• An estimate of your self-performance and a proposed team approach (for example: are you part of an approved mentor protégé team through the SBA 8(a) or All Small Mentor Protégé Program?)

• Will you be teaming with other small businesses to meet the self-performance requirements?

• Will your subcontractors be primarily small businesses?

• What type of work would likely be subcontracted?

• Have you performed this type of work previously with similar teaming arrangements? If so, what were issues with contract performance?

• NOTE: Small businesses may submit a capability statement that includes the expertise of large business partner companies under a teaming arrangement. If a teaming arrangement is contemplated, then the response to this sources sought must clearly discuss the areas of the Draft Performance Work Statement that the small business firm intends to perform and the specific areas that the large business teaming partner intends to perform. Please note that at least 15% of the total cost of the contract value must be incurred by or for personnel of the small business firm (or similarly situated entities) pursuant to the FAR clause at 52.219-14 entitled “Limitations on Subcontracting (NOV 2011)”.

In order for the Government to make a Small Business (SB) set-aside (or other socioeconomic sub-category) determination, it is emphasized that SB concerns provide sufficient written information to clearly demonstrate their capacity, capability, and responsibility in accordance with FAR 9.1 and the requirements at FAR 19.502(b)(1) to successfully perform and manage all the requirements of this effort.

Information Submission Instructions:

1. Page Limitations:

Interested qualified small business organizations should submit a tailored capability statement for this requirement not to exceed ten (10) single sided pages including all information that clearly details the firm’s ability to perform the aspects of the notice described above and in the Project Requirements.

2. Number of Copies:

All capability Statement sent in response to this SOURCES SOUGHT/Request for Information notice must be submitted via e-mail to the contract specialist, Sam Johanson at samantha.k.johanson@usace.army.mil and Deputy, Small Business Programs, Troy Robbins at Troy.A.Robbins@usace.army.mil. The e-mail subject line must specify Response to Sources Sought:

Brandon Road Interbasin – Increment II Flushing Lock.

3. Due Date/Time

Electronically submitted tailored capability statements are due no later than the date listed on the SAM.gov Sources Sought Notice, however this does not restrict the Government from accepting responses after this time, if it is in the best interests of the Government for market research purposes, and also does not prohibit the Government from seeking potential capable, and responsible sources from information available from other resources (for instance: small business databases, known sources, previous contractors) to determine a final procurement strategy.

mailto:samantha.k.johanson@usace.army.mil mailto:Troy.A.Robbins@usace.army.mil