Central Monorail Hoist Commissioning

The Department of Energy Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, through Fermi Forward Discovery Group LLC, is seeking qualified crane and hoist contractors to modify, install, and commission four 20-ton electric monorail hoist and trolley assemblies for the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility/Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (LBNF/DUNE) at the Sanford Underground Research Facility. The project addresses discrepancies in previously installed central monorail beams in North and South caverns that do not comply with CMAA guidelines for straightness, requiring modification of existing trolleys and installation of new hoists to facilitate underground material movement. Contractors must demonstrate qualifying experience, training certifications, safety records, and quality assurance programs, with two hoists already purchased and warehoused in Rapid City, SD requiring installation, and two additional hoists to be procured through this contract. The government will evaluate proposals using a lowest price technically acceptable approach, requiring offerors to meet mandatory technical requirements. The proposal submission deadline is August 8, 2025, with the contract period running from September 1, 2025, through March 31, 2026, plus options for two additional years.

This solicitation does not include any small business set-aside designations and will be awarded as an unrestricted procurement. The contract work will be performed at the underground research facility in Central City, SD 57754, with specific operations taking place in the North and South caverns of the LBNF facility approximately 4,850 feet underground. The project includes Davis-Bacon wage determination requirements for Lawrence County, South Dakota, with prevailing wage rates ranging from $12.47 per hour for laborers to $56.30 per hour for elevator mechanics. The first two hoists must be operational by December 1, 2025, and the contractor will be required to perform load testing at 125% capacity using water bags after installation. The solicitation also includes optional pricing for four additional 10-ton hoists with 90-foot lift capacity for outer monorails, though no specific contract value or budget range has been disclosed in the available documentation.