Project # 618-26-701 - EHRM - Infrastructure Upgrades - Main Computer Room Update - Minneapolis VAMC - Minneapolis, MN

The Department of Veterans Affairs Technology Acquisition Center Austin is soliciting construction services for Electronic Health Record Modernization infrastructure upgrades to the main computer room at Minneapolis VA Medical Center, with bids due July 15, 2026. The procurement is a 100% Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business set-aside under NAICS 236220, foreclosing competition outside that pool and requiring SBA certification at both bid submission and award.

Place of performance is Minneapolis, Minnesota. The work encompasses a 365-calendar-day renovation of Building 70's data center, including installation of new IT equipment enclosures with cold aisle containment, redundant rack power distribution, structured cabling compliant with ISTS standards, two independent UPS systems (Liebert eXM 150 kVA), CRAC units (Liebert CW114), an air-cooled chiller (Trane RTAF280), clean agent fire suppression (Novec), access control (Lenel security/CCTV with FIPS-201), and building automation (Johnson Controls METASYS). Telecommunications work requires a BICSI-licensed contractor with minimum five years' experience and on-site Registered Communications Distribution Designer oversight. The contractor must employ dedicated onsite personnel including a full-time superintendent (OSHA 30-hour certified, no dual assignments), separate safety officer, and quality control manager. All work must be performed after-hours (outside 7:00 AM–5:00 PM Monday–Friday), and the medical center remains operational throughout construction with coordinated utility outages requiring 14–30 days' advance notice.

Bid security of 20% of bid price or $3 million (whichever is less) and performance bonds equal to 100% of contract price are required. The government estimate is $13,675,105. Davis-Bacon Act wage determinations (Hennepin County, Minnesota) apply. Subcontracting limitations cap non-SDVOSB/VOSB payments at 85% of contract value for general construction work. Third-party inspections and testing are mandatory for ten disciplines at contractor expense. The contractor must comply with VA badging requirements, Buy American Act restrictions, and FAR 52.222-90 addressing discrimination by federal contractors. Five brand-name items (Lenel, CAFCO Blaze Shield II, Takeform Fusion, Gamewell, and JCI METASYS) are specified with no approved equals or alternates. Award will be made to the lowest responsive bidder meeting these requirements.