Sources Sought - Foster Spillway Gate Nut Replacement and Re-Tensioning.pdf

1. General. This is a SOURCES SOUGHT and is for informational/market research purposes only.

THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, QUOTATION OR BID, NOR A SYNOPSIS OF A

PROPOSED CONTRACT ACTION UNDER RFO SUBPART 5.2.

This Sources Sought is to gain knowledge of the interest, capabilities, and qualifications of industry so the government can make informed business decisions. We are seeking responses from both large and small business members of industry to include: Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Businesses to include 8(a) firms, Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone), Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB) to include Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small business (SDVOSB) and Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB). All interested parties are highly encouraged to respond.

The North American Industrial Classification Code (NAICS) for this requirement is: 237990 - Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction. The related size standard is: $45.0 million.

Formal Sources Sought Response Due – 01 September 2026 at 3:00 pm PDT.

2. Project Details and Background.

Foster Dam is a 126-foot tall, 2,985-foot long rockfill earthen embankment structure with a 400-foot long concrete spillway, four spillway gates, a concrete non-overflow section and a powerhouse, located on the South Santiam River, approximately 30 miles upstream of Albany, Oregon. Construction on the dam began in 1964 and was completed in 1968.

The dam is part of a system of 13 multi-purpose dams in Oregon’s Willamette Valley constructed for the primary purpose of flood risk management and secondary purposes of hydropower, recreation, irrigation, municipal and industrial water supply, fish and wildlife, and water quality. Collectively, this system of dams is referred to as the Willamette Valley Project and is owned, operated, and maintained by the U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

Tension on the spillway gate connection assembly, located on the upstream side of the gates, is held by wire ropes. Castle nuts are used to retain the wire rope bridge sockets. The lower castle nuts in contact with the bridge socket set the tension of each wire rope and a second castle nut is installed on top of the first to act as a jam nut, preventing the wire rope tension from changing. The wire rope and attachment hardware was replaced in 2010 as part of a larger gate rehabilitation project. USACE Portland District is developing plans to replace the current spillway gate wire rope connection hardware.

3. Project Scope.

Replace quantity 192 custom made castle nuts approximately two inch outside diameter by two inch long made from A564 UNS 17400 Type 630 Condition H1100 material (more commonly known as 17-4).

Replace quantity 48 custom made U-bolts from 1-1/8-inch diameter rod bent to eighteen inches long with a six-inch radius made from A564 UNS 17400 Type 630 Condition H1100 material. Replace quantity eight custom U-bolt spacers approximately six inch outside diameter by twelve inch long made from self-lubricated composite material. Replace quantity eight gate connection pins approximately four-inch diameter by sixteen inch long made from A564 UNS 17400 Type 630 Condition H1100 material. Supply quantity one custom made installation tool approximately two inch outside diameter by ten inches long made from A564 UNS 17400 Type 630 Condition H1100 material for the custom castle nuts.

After replacement of the gate connection components, the wire ropes of each gate will be tensioned to equal amounts from one side of the gate to the other so that the gate does not rub side walls under vertical

Commented [S(1]: I like this wording for sources sought bec it doesn't box us in with what to replace them with right now - the same specialty nuts or off shelf as CE thinks may do - and gives us the remaining couple weeks to discuss.

Based on what I forwarded from Ops today it sounds like we need the special nuts or we are going down bunny trail replacing other hardware. The language also opens the door to getting bidders' thoughts as there was a questions to contractors section in the sources sought.

travel and the gate contacts the spillway ogee evenly from one side to the other. The contractor will be responsible for the release and re-tensioning of wire ropes in the preparation and finishing of work activities.

Work is anticipated to require use of scaffolding and/or suspended manbasket for access. A public road leads into the work area. The contractor will furnish and operate the crane and will also be responsible for the closure of Foster Dam Road between Poplar Street and North River Drive anticipated as necessary for public safety during crane work. It is anticipated that work will require a full road closure by signage during working hours for the duration of the project with no additional flagger needs. USACE will be responsible for public noticing associated with the closure.

All site work must be completed within a year of start to reduce risk associated with continued or progressive nut failures.

Regardless of the time of year relative to active spill operations, leak-by through the spillway gates will occur. One set of stoplogs, capable of isolating one gate from the majority of leak-by, will be available for the contractor’s use. Comparably minor leakage through the stoplogs should be expected though a need for dry work conditions is not due to the location and nature of the work. The contractor will be responsible for hauling of the stoplogs from and to a nearby site within the Project limits, as well as placing and removing the stoplogs at the gate.

A work window will be established that considers the operational needs of the dam, including those based on consideration for passage of protected fish species from the reservoir and management of water temperatures below the dam for this purpose. From at least June 16 through July 31 (of every year) a fish weir will be in place on one gate – typically Gate 4, the southernmost gate nearest the fish facility. The use of the stoplogs to support the weir will preclude their use on other gates, essentially creating a no work period for the contractor during this timeframe. The exact dates of closure are dependent on seasonal and biological conditions and may flux by weeks and/or be extended on either end up to one month for maintenance activities. USACE Operations will coordinate with the contractor to minimize the no work period to the extent possible and practicable. Two additional scheduled temperature control and fish passage operations occur each year from February 1 to June 1 and October 1 through December 15.

Although the stoplogs are not involved in these (spill) operations, the spill need will preclude the contractor’s work on the gate or gates in operation during this time. USACE Operations will work with the contractor to sequence the work to the extent possible and practicable so that the gate scheduled for repair is not the gate needed for the spill.

Anticipated Construction Schedule: USACE Portland District intends to advertise in November 2026 and award in December 2026. The contractor will use its discretion to select the appropriate work period given the restrictions relayed and present a proposed work schedule to USACE for approval.

Estimated Construction Cost (ECC): The current ECC is between $1,000,000 and $5,000,000.

Number and Type of Contracts: NWP contemplates awarding one (1), Firm Fixed-Price contract. The acquisition strategy decision has not yet been determined. Maximum Small business participation is being sought at both the Prime and subcontracting levels.

Anticipated Source Selection Process: The expected method to determine the best value to the government is Invitation for Bid.

Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) level: The CMMC level anticipated for this requirement is CMMC Level 2 (Self). This CMMC level, or higher (see 32 CFR part 170), will be required prior to award and maintained for the duration of the contract for each contractor information system that will process, store, or transmit Federal contract information (FCI) or controlled unclassified information (CUI) during performance of the contract.

Project Specific Constraints and Challenges.

(1) Remote work location with limited ingress/egress and inclement winter weather conditions in wildfire prone area.

(2) Work deadline and work window as described above in the project scope.

(3) Singular set of stoplogs preventing simultaneous hardware replacement on multiple gates.

(4) Crane work needs above operating dam.

4. Questions for Industry:

a. Is there anything in our Project Scope that would discourage you from bidding?

b. Is there anything in our Project Scope that would cause enhanced pricing uncertainty?

c. Are there any market conditions or industry practices that you feel the government needs to be aware of?

5. Submission Instructions. Formal responses to this Sources Sought notice must be submitted electronically (via email) with SUBJECT: Sources Sought – Foster Spillway Gate Nut Replacement and Re-Tensioning. Please email to Justin Figueredo, Contracting Officer, at justin.f.figueredo@usace.army.mil and Chris Burroughs Contracting Specialist, at christopher.d.burroughs@usace.army.mil, before 3:00 pm Pacific Standard time on 01 September 2026.

Interested parties’ responses to this Sources Sought shall be limited to six (6) pages and shall include the following information:

a. Firm's name, address, point of contact, phone number, e-mail address, CAGE and Unique Entity

ID.

b. Firm’s bonding capacity for a single contract/project.

c. Firm's business category and size: Large Business (include summary of small business participation metrics), Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Businesses to include 8(a) firms, Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone), Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB) to include Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small business (SDVOSB) and at the subcontracting level, Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB).

d. An explanation of the prime firm’s capabilities and the work to be self-performed as it pertains to the proposed work outlined in the Project Scope.

e. A description of work performed under similar project constraints and challenges listed under paragraph 3.

f. Project Examples (for Joint Ventures, please include projects completed by the Joint Venture if available):

• To be considered for a potential set aside strategy, provide a maximum of three (3), minimum of one (1), bridge projects for consideration. These project examples must be similar in size, scope and complexity to the work described in paragraph 3 of this notice, with a description of each project (to include pertinent qualitative and quantitative information about featured scope elements), and include the following:

Project Title Contract Number Contract award date Customer name Initial contract dollar value Final contract dollar value Initial contract completion date Final contract completion date Customer satisfaction

The Government may verify information in CPARS or PPIRS.

g. Firm's Joint Venture information if applicable - existing and potential.

h. Firm's Joint Venture Bonding Capability in the form of a letter from Surety.

i. Firm's interest and the likelihood in bidding on the solicitation when it is issued. (Refer to planned advertise and performance dates)

j. Responses to the government’s questions in paragraph 4 and any other information the contractor feels the government needs to be aware of.

6. Disclaimer and Important Notes.

a. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this Sources Sought or any follow up information. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's capabilities to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or to provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted.

b. All interested firms must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://www.sam.gov to have size status considered. You must remain current for the duration of the source selection process to be eligible for award of a Government contract.