Project Labor Agreement (PLA)- U. S. Army War College (USAWC), General Instruction Building (GIB), Carlisle Barracks

The Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, is soliciting comments from the construction community addressing the potential use of a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) for a large scale construction project (exceeding $25million) within the Cumberland County, Maryland area.
Project Description: Construct a General Instruction Building (GIB). The facility will meet all Army Standards and GIB Standard Design Criteria. Project includes four large lecture halls which can be converted into a 600 person auditorium, seminar rooms divisible into break-out rooms and various configurations, conference rooms, private instructor offices, counseling rooms, library, resource center, computer lab, administrative offices, reception areas, tele-video classroom, student and instructor break areas, information systems processing center, computer training room, general and departmental storage, utility rooms, restrooms, mechanical, electrical and communications rooms, special foundations, automatic fire suppression and alarm system, fire pump, emergency and redundant power, information systems, Intrusion Detection System (IDS) installation, and Energy Monitoring Control Systems (EMCS) connection.

PLA Background Information:

A Project Labor Agreement (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). Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 22.503 states:

(a) Project Labor Agreement (PLA) is a tool that agencies may use to promote economy and efficiency in Federal procurement. Pursuant to Executive Order 13502, agencies are encouraged to consider requiring the use of project labor agreements in connection with large scale construction projects.(b) An agency may, if appropriate, require that every contractor and subcontractor engaged in construction on the project agree, for that project, to negotiate or become a party to a project labor agreement with one or more labor organizations if the agency decides that the use of project labor agreements will-
(1) Advance the Federal Governments interest in achieving economy and efficiency in Federal procurement, producing labor-management stability, and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations governing safety and health, equal employment opportunity, labor and employment standards, and other matters; and
(2) Be consistent with law.

Reference: Provision: FAR 52.222-33 Notice of Requirement for Project Labor Agreement, Clause: FAR 52.222- 34 Project Labor Agreement.

The construction community is invited to comment on the use of PLAs by responding to the questions below.

1. Do you have knowledge that a PLA has been used in the local area 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 award of time sensitive issues/scheduling requirements that would affect the rate of 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. Identify any additional information you believe should be considered on the use of a PLA on the referenced project.

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

8. The information gathered during this market research should include the following information on projects you have completed in the last 2-5 years:
a. Project Name and Location.
b. Detailed Project Description.
c. Initial Cost Estimate vs. Actual Final Cost.
d. Was the project completed on time?
e. Number of craft trades present on the project.
f. Was the PLA used?
g. Were there any challenged experience during the project?

Responses are to be sent via email to Patricia.Morrow@usace.army.mil no later than 11:00 AM (EST) on February 1, 2019. Responses are limited to seven (7) pages.

This is NOT a Request for Proposal and does not constitute any commitment by the Government. Responses to this labor market survey will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. All interested sources must respond to future solicitation announcements separately from responses to this survey.

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