Kautz road substation construcion, UIP subproject 2- KRS

Fermi Forward Discovery Group, LLC (FFDG), which operates Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) under a Department of Energy prime contract, is soliciting proposals for a firm fixed-price subcontract to rebuild and renovate the Kautz Road Substation under UIP Subproject 2 (RFP 383167-CD), with proposals due December 18, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. Central Time. No set-aside is used, and non-small business offerors must submit a Small Business Subcontracting Plan. Questions are due December 4, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Central Time to Procurement Specialist Chris Daley (cdaley@fnal.gov, (630)-840-4256), and a pre-proposal meeting and site visit is scheduled for November 18, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. Central Time.

Work is performed at the Fermilab site in Batavia, Illinois 60510, adjacent to Batavia in DuPage County. The subcontractor must complete all construction within Fermilab's accelerator shutdown window, anticipated January 1, 2028 through January 1, 2030, though those dates may change. Milestones are submittals and shop drawing approvals within 60 calendar days of Notice to Proceed, site access and construction start on January 4, 2028, foundation completion by March 31, 2028, Authorization for Use and Possession by July 2, 2029, and project completion by September 30, 2029. Scope includes demolition of the existing control building, 15KV substation, and equipment; installation of a new control building, foundations, low- and medium-voltage feeders, a medium-voltage transformer, harmonic filters, and 345kV substation yard equipment; and civil utility and pavement work. FermiForward furnishes the 345kV/13.8kV transformer, 345kV circuit breaker, and prefabricated control building.

Offerors must demonstrate three reference projects completed within ten years, each valued at a minimum of $10 million. At least one must include 345kV substation yard equipment installation, and all must include 138kV or higher equipment plus at least three specified components such as heavy foundations, low-voltage systems, medium-voltage feeders, transformers, harmonic filters, or demolition of active utility buildings. Pass/fail criteria include three-year rolling Total Recordable Case Rate and Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred Rate at or below 85 percent of Bureau of Labor Statistics benchmarks, NCCI Experience Modification Rating evaluation, OSHA 300A logs, a corporate safety plan demonstrating 10 CFR Part 851 compliance, and a quality plan aligned with DOE Order 414.1E or equivalent. Financial thresholds require a current ratio of 1.10 or greater, single-project bonding capacity at or above the proposed total price, and aggregate bonding capacity of at least $30 million. Failure to meet these thresholds results in automatic disqualification as non-responsible.

The bid guarantee is 20 percent of the bid price, not to exceed $3 million. Performance and payment bonds at 100 percent of contract price are required where contract price exceeds $150,000 and $35,000, respectively. All work is subject to Davis-Bacon Act requirements with weekly certified payroll submitted through LCPTracker. Proposal certifications, including FAR 52.222-90 DEI compliance, apply to all proposals effective October 1, 2026.

The solicitation uses tradeoff source selection. Technical factors total 70 points: organizational structure and key personnel (20 points), approach, safety compliance, and work plan (25 points), and past performance (25 points). Cost is worth 30 points. The price form contains nine firm fixed-price lump sum bid items, with mobilization not to exceed 5 percent of total contract cost unless justified, and one bid alternate to replace CCVTs 119-1 and 119-2, designated ADD or DEDUCT. Proposals are valid for 120 calendar days. The procurement is classified under NAICS 237130 (size standard $45 million) and PSC Z2MZ.