Coastal Storm Risk Management at Carolina Breach, Wrightsville Beach, Kure Beach and Ocean Island Beach, North Carolina

Project Labor Agreement Market Survey

Subject: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District – Coastal Storm Risk Management at Carolina Breach, Wrightsville Beach, Kure Beach and Ocean Island Beach North Carolina. 

This is a project labor agreement survey only. This is not a request for proposal, request for quote, or invitation for bid. There will not be a solicitation, specifications, or drawings available at this time.

This is a SPECIAL NOTICE. No proposals are being requested or accepted with this notice. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District is soliciting comments from the construction community addressing the potential use of Project Labor Agreements (PLA) for large scale construction projects (exceeding $25 million) within the Wilmington District and surrounding areas. This market survey is being posted for the Coastal Storm Risk Management at Carolina Breach, Wrightsville Beach, Kure Beach and Ocean Island Beach North Carolina. 
 

Description of Work: 

Estimated Quantity: 3,060,000 CY

Environmental Window:  November 16 – April 30

The work shall consist of dredging, transporting, placing and shaping beach fill and performing all pre and post construction beach surveys.  The borrow area for Wrightsville Beach is located in Masonboro Inlet, the borrow area for Carolina Beach is Carolina Beach Inlet, the borrow area for Area South (Kure Beach) is Area South Offshore Borrow Area B, and the borrow area for Ocean Isle Beach is located in Shallotte Inlet. The estimated beach fill quantities for Wrightsville Beach is 740,000 CY to be placed. The estimated beach fill quantities for Carolina Beach is 900,000 CY to be placed.  The estimated beach fill for Area South (Kure Beach) is 600,000 CY to be placed.  The estimated beach fill quantities for Ocean Isle Beach is 500,000 CY. Optional estimated beach fill quantities for Ocean Isle Beach is 320,000 CY to be placed along 3,000 LF of beach. All beach work will not begin until 16 November and must be completed by 30 April.  Optional beach fill placement for Ocean Isle Beach must be completed by 31 March. Dredging with pipeline dredges will be limited to the period of 16 November through 30 April to comply with the beach disposal window.
 

A PLA is defined as a pre-hire collective bargaining agreement with one or more labor organizations that establishes the terms and conditions of employment for a specific construction project and is an agreement described in 29 U.S.C. 158(f).

Accordingly, Offerors are requested to respond to this Special Notice regarding PLA with the following information.

(1) Do you have knowledge that a PLA has been used in the Wilmington District and surrounding areas, on projects of this kind? If so, please provide supporting documentation.

(2) Are you aware of skilled labor shortages in the area for those crafts that will be needed to complete the referenced project? If so, please elaborate and provide supporting documentation where possible.
(3) Are you aware of time sensitive issues/scheduling requirements that would impact the rate at which the referenced project should be completed? If so, please elaborate and provide supporting documentation where possible.
(4) Identify specific reasons why or how you believe a PLA would advance the Federal Governments interest in achieving economy and efficiency in federal procurement.
(5) Identify specific reasons why you do not believe a PLA would advance the Federal Governments interest in achieving economy and efficiency in federal procurement.
(6) Please identify any additional information you believe should be considered on the use of a PLA on the referenced project.

(7) Please identify any additional information you believe should be considered on the non-use of a PLA on the referenced project.

(8) Please provide a list of recent (2-5 years) construction projects in the local labor market of the project under consideration. Include the following items:

Project Name/Location

Project Description

Initial Cost Est/Actual Final Cost

Was the project completed on time

Number of craft trades present on the project

PLA (Y/N)

Were there any challenges experienced during the project (delays, investigations, health and safety issues, labor shortages,

management/organizational issues, etc)?

1.

2.

3.

(9) Which trades are expected to be employed on this project? Are you likely to need some union skilled trades for at least part of this project?

(10) What market share does union labor have in the geographic area for this project or type of construction?

(11) Does the local market contain the sufficient number of available skilled workers for this project? Are there other projects in the vicinity going to limit the pool of skill labor available for your project?

(12) Has a project like this been done before in the local market?

(13) What investments have been made to support registered apprenticeship programs?

(14) Have PLAs been used on comparable projects undertaken by the public sector in this geographic region? Have PLAs been used on this type of project in other regions?

(15) Which CBAs are likely to expire during the course of the project under consideration that might cause delays?

(16) How do open shop and union wage rates influence prevailing wage rates in the local market and compare to Davis Bacon rates? What impact does unionization in the local market have on wages?

(17) Could a PLA contribute to cost savings in any of the following ways?

                -Harmonization of shifts and holidays between the trades to cut labor costs?

                -Minimization disruptions that may arise due to expiration of CBA?

                -Availability of trained, registered apprentices, efficient for highly skilled workforce?

                -Allowing for changes in apprentice to journeyman ration.

-Serving as management tool that ensure highly skilled workers from multiple trades are coordinated in the most efficient way.

-Others?

(18) Could a PLA minimize risk and contribute to greater efficiency in any of the following ways?

                -Mechanisms to avoid delays

-Complying with Davis Bacon and other labor standards, safety rules and EEO and OFCP laws.

-Ensuring a steady supply of skilled labor in markets with low supply or high competition for workers.

(19) Are there ways in which a PLA might increase costs on this particular project?

(20) What is the cost impact to the bid due to a PLA?

Interested Offerors shall respond to this Special Notice no later than 7 April 2020.  Mail, or E-mail your response to U.S. Army Engineer District Wilmington, Attn: CESAW-CT/Ms. Karri L. Mares and Ms. Rosalind M. Shoemaker, 69 Darlington Ave, Wilmington, NC, 28403; E-mail – karri.l.mares@usace.army.mil and rosalind.m.shoemaker@usace.army.mil. This Special Notice is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government pay for the information solicited.