Utility IDIQ Sources Sought OFPM_TEAM_SS26_08.docx

SOURCES SOUGHT

NIST Underground Site Utilities Replacement MATOC IDIQ AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) LOCATION: Gaithersburg, Maryland

PURPOSE

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is conducting market research to identify qualified contractors capable of performing large-scale underground utility replacement work at the NIST Gaithersburg, Maryland campus.

This Sources Sought Notice is issued for market research purposes only. It does not constitute a solicitation, request for proposals, or a commitment by the Government. No contract award will result from this notice. Information received will be used to support acquisition planning decisions, including contract structure, competition strategy, small business participation, and labor-related determinations.

APPLICABLE NAICS CODES

Firms responding should be capable of performing work under one or more of the following NAICS codes within Subsector 237 – Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction:

· 237110 – Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction

· 237130 – Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction

· 237990 – Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction

BACKGROUND

The NIST Gaithersburg campus encompasses approximately 579 acres and includes infrastructure largely constructed in the mid-1960s. The campus is designated as a National Register Historic District. NIST has initiated a long-term modernization effort consistent with the 2018 NIST Gaithersburg Campus Master Plan and Environmental Assessment. Much of the existing underground utility infrastructure is at or beyond its useful service life and requires phased replacement.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

· Contract Type: Indefinite Delivery / Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC)

· Period of Performance: Up to twelve (12) years

· 4-year base period

· Two (2) 4-year option periods

· Total Program Capacity: Up to $1.1 Billion

· Estimated Task Order Size: Approximately $5M to $100M

· Delivery Methods:

· Design-Build (anticipated to be predominant)

· Design-Bid-Build

· Design Basis: Bridging Documents defining general routing, capacity requirements, and material performance criteria

TECHNICAL SCOPE OF WORK

The MATOC will support replacement of the following underground utilities (approximate quantities):

1. Chilled Water Supply & Return – ~6.6 miles

2. High-Pressure Steam (150 psi) and Pumped Condensate – ~6.2 miles

3. Electrical Duct Banks – ~17.6 miles

· 13.4kV power distribution (spot network)

· Communications and IT infrastructure

4. Compressed Air (125 psi) – ~2.3 miles

5. Natural Gas – ~3.9 miles

6. Potable Water – ~8.1 miles

7. Sanitary Sewer – ~5.6 miles

8. Storm Drainage – ~6.0 miles

ANCILLARY CONSTRUCTION TASKS

· Removal of existing utility structures

· Installation of new manholes, handholes, and tunnel systems

· Building utility cutovers and interior utility modifications

· Trenchless construction (e.g., horizontal boring, pipe jacking, utility tunneling)

· Excavation, trenching, and backfilling

· Surveying

· Roadway, sidewalk, and landscape restoration

· Federal, State, and local permitting

· Environmental compliance and engineering analyses

· Hazardous materials abatement

· Design-Build services from schematic design or program-of-requirements level

· Compliance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties

OPERATIONAL CONSTRAINTS

Contractors must demonstrate the capability to perform work under the following conditions:

1. Continuous Operations: Campus operations will remain active; utility outages must be phased and minimized.

2. Access Maintenance: Pedestrian, vehicle, and emergency access must be maintained.

3. Historic Preservation: All work must comply with applicable historic preservation requirements.

4. Security Requirements: Contractor personnel must meet NIST security requirements, including HSPD-12 badging and Foreign National screening where applicable.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Interested firms shall submit a Capabilities Statement and responses to the Market Research Questions. Submissions shall not exceed ten (10) pages total.

CAPABILITY STATEMENT SHALL INCLUDE:

1. Company Information

· Company name, address, and primary point of contact

· UEI (SAM.gov) and CAGE Code

· Business size and socioeconomic status under applicable NAICS codes

2. Bonding Capacity (Critical)

· Single project bonding limit (must support task orders up to $100M)

· Aggregate bonding capacity

· Currently available bonding capacity

3. Experience & Past Performance Up to three (3) projects completed within the last seven (7) years, including:

· Project name, location, and value

· Prime or subcontractor role

· Experience on active or occupied campuses

· Experience with phased or concurrent Design-Build projects

MARKET RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. Financial Capacity

a. If awarded a $100M task order, would this exhaust your available aggregate bonding capacity?

b. How would a $100M task order affect your ability to pursue additional task orders under this MATOC?

c. Do you foresee any long-term financial or cash-flow risks associated with a 12-year MATOC?

2. Technical Capability

a. Describe your experience replacing critical utilities on an active campus without unplanned outages.

b. Describe your capability to self-perform or manage trenchless construction methods.

c. Describe your experience meeting federal security and badging requirements.

3. Contract Structure & Logistics

a. Do you possess in-house design capability or established A/E partnerships to support immediate Design-Build task orders?

b. Describe your ability to mobilize labor, equipment, and materials within a 50-mile radius of the NIST campus.

4. Innovation Identify materials, systems, or construction methods that could improve lifecycle performance, constructability, or cost efficiency.

5. Business Classification & Joint Ventures

a. Identify utility trades you intend to self-perform.

b. If responding as a Joint Venture, identify whether cited experience is held by the Mentor, Protégé, or both.

6. Project Labor Agreement (PLA) If inclusion of a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) would result in increased cost for this MATOC, respondents shall demonstrate the basis for the increase rather than provide conclusory statements.

Responses shall, at a minimum:

· Identify the specific PLA-related requirements that drive increased cost (e.g., labor sourcing restrictions, work rules, benefit structures, jurisdictional assignments, hiring hall utilization).

· Map each identified requirement to discrete cost elements, including:

· Additional labor categories and estimated labor hours attributable solely to PLA compliance

· Increased labor rates, fringe benefits, or payroll burdens

· Administrative or compliance labor (e.g., reporting, coordination, dispute resolution)

· Tooling, software, licensing, or data rights costs required exclusively for PLA compliance

· Schedule impacts that result in increased cost (e.g., reduced productivity, sequencing constraints, extended duration)

· Quantify the cost impact using rough-order-of-magnitude (ROM) dollar values or percentage increases, relative to a clearly stated baseline scenario without a PLA.

Responses that assert cost increases without identifying underlying cost drivers and estimated magnitudes may be considered insufficient for market research purposes.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Responses shall be submitted electronically in PDF format only to:

· Brandon.Butler@nist.gov

· Teresa.Harris@nist.gov Deadline: No later than 1:00 PM ET on February 20, 2026 Email Subject Line:

Response to Sources Sought – NIST Underground Site Utilities Replacement MATOC IDIQ No hardcopy submissions will be accepted. Telephone inquiries will not be entertained. The Government will not return submitted information and is not responsible for costs incurred in responding. Respondents are encouraged to monitor www.sam.gov for future announcements.