Carl B. Stokes Federal Building & U. S. Courthouse Fire Alarm Replacement

The General Services Administration seeks a design-build contractor for fire alarm system replacement at the Carl B. Stokes U.S. Courthouse in Cleveland, Ohio, with Phase 1 qualifications due August 21, 2026, and questions due July 31. The procurement follows a two-phase best-value selection process under FAR 36.101-2 with a GSA Class Deviation; GSA will short-list a maximum of three offerors in Phase 1 to proceed to Phase II, from which a single contractor will be selected for award anticipated in March 2027.

Place of performance is Cleveland, Ohio. The building is a 23-story high-rise encompassing approximately 767,000 gross square feet, currently housing the U.S. Court of Appeals, U.S. District Court, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Attorneys, and U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services. The contractor must modernize the building's fire alarm and life safety systems to current code while maintaining continuous courthouse operations. Work includes main control panel replacement, device modernization, system remediation, complete recommissioning, and as-built documentation. The estimated price range is $10 million to $20 million. The contract is firm fixed-price with performance milestones requiring commencement of design phase services within one day of NTP, substantial completion no later than 1,220 calendar days from NTP, and contract completion within 60 days of substantial completion. Liquidated damages are set at $1,391.54 per calendar day. Performance and payment bonds of $20 million are required.

NAICS 238210 (Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors); PSC N063 (Installation of Equipment—Alarm, Signal, and Security Detection Systems). Phase 1 evaluation weighs Technical Qualifications of the Firm at 40%, Approach to Design-Build at 20%, Lead Designer at 25%, and Past Performance at 15%. Large business offerors must submit a small business subcontracting plan. Phase 1 proposals are limited to 35 numbered pages. A $22,390 stipend will be distributed to up to two unsuccessful Phase 2 short-listed offerors. Amendment 1, effective August 4, requires acknowledgment and clarifies that Representations and Certifications are completed through SAM and that section dividers and proprietary information agreements do not count toward the page limit. Contracting Officer Neal Deodhar is reachable at 312-550-4097 or neal.deodhar@gsa.gov.