CON | Z2DA | replace chiller 1 B104 | 580-24-111 | solicitation

The Department of Veterans Affairs VISN 16 is soliciting proposals for a firm-fixed-price construction contract to replace Chiller 1 in Building 104 at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, Texas, with proposals due December 8, 2026. The procurement is a 100% Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business set-aside under Public Law 109-461. The Network Contracting Office 16 issues the solicitation for the medical center's requirement.

Work is performed at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX 77030. The contractor must remove the existing 1,000-ton York chiller and install a new 1,000-ton, 4,160V water-cooled centrifugal chiller, a 12.47kV-to-4,160V pad-mounted transformer, a chilled water pump with variable frequency drive, and integration into the Metasys Building Automation System. Scope also includes general construction, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and HVAC work. The NAICS code is 238220 and the PSC is Z2DA.

Eligibility requires that at least 15 percent of the cost of contract performance incurred for personnel be spent on the concern's employees or those of other eligible SDVOSB concerns. Subcontracting to non-SDVOSB firms is capped at 85 percent for general construction, excluding material costs, under VAAR 852.219-75. Offerors must show at least three similar projects completed within the last five years in hospital or medical facility settings.

The performance period is 180 calendar days from Notice to Proceed, and it includes equipment procurement, fabrication, and delivery. Bidders must disclose confirmed manufacturer lead times with the bid. A full chilled water plant shutdown is prohibited. Valve replacement requires localized pipe isolation with engineering justification approved by VA. Work is scheduled during winter and limited to 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, unless the Contracting Officer authorizes otherwise.

The estimated magnitude is between $2.0 million and $5.0 million. A bid bond is required with the proposal, set at 20 percent of bid price or $13 million, whichever is less. Performance and payment bonds are required from the awardee. Davis-Bacon wage rates apply.

Award uses a past performance-price tradeoff, with past performance significantly more important than price. Volume I (Past Performance) is limited to 15 pages. Volume II covers price, solicitation, offer, and award documents. Proposals must remain valid for 90 days.

The notice describes itself as a pre-solicitation, and questions will be accepted only after the RFP is published. The government file summary lists a mandatory site visit on November 10, 2026.