Combined Synopsis/Solicitation Cooling Tower Maintenance

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Center for Neutron Research is seeking a contractor to perform comprehensive cooling tower maintenance services for their nuclear test reactor facility in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The procurement covers semi-annual and annual maintenance of two cooling tower sets totaling five cells, including cleaning, inspection, electrical maintenance, fire protection system testing, and emergency repair services for systems built in 2002 and 2011. Contractors must demonstrate relevant cooling tower maintenance experience and submit quotations in four volumes covering technical approach, experience/past performance, price quotation, and terms and conditions. The evaluation will assess technical approach, experience, past performance, and price, with non-price factors considered significantly more important than cost. Following three amendments, the final response deadline is September 5, 2025 at 5:00 PM EDT, with a mandatory site visit having occurred on August 20, 2025. Questions regarding the solicitation were due by August 25, 2025, and the Statement of Work was revised on August 27, 2025 to include updated fire protection system requirements and detailed drawings.

This solicitation operates under NAICS code 811310 with a small business size standard of $12.5 million and is structured as a full and open competition with no set-aside designations. The contract is structured as a five-year agreement consisting of one base year and four option years, with the possibility of a six-month extension. Emergency repair funding is allocated at $5,000 annually with the option to increase up to $25,000 as needed. The work must be performed during scheduled reactor shutdowns and requires coordination with NIST representatives, with contractors providing a 12-month warranty on installed equipment and workmanship. All maintenance activities will take place at the NIST facility in Gaithersburg, Maryland, specifically at Building 235, where the cooling towers support critical neutron research operations. The solicitation requires contractors to be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) and submit electronic quotations via email to be considered for award.