PULSE New Access Point

This Source Sought Notice is being posted and is intended only as an Expression of Interest (EOI). This is not a solicitation, and no reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this notice.

The work requested consists of design and construction services at the Nevada National Security Sites (NNSS). The potential offeror(s) will be required to travel and provide construction services to Mission Support and Testing Services (MSTS) at the NNSS.

Opportunity Description:

This Source Sought is for a potential award of a Design Build Construction Subcontract. The intent is for the potential awardee to effectively plan, perform, design and construct the Primary Underground Laboratory for Subcritical Experiments (PULSE) New Access Project (PNAP). PULSE formally known as the named U1a Complex, is a Hazard Category 2 (HC-2) facility located 23 miles from the entrance of the NNSS that consists of a surface complex and underground facility that is located approximately 1,000 feet below the surface.  The facility requires a new access to the underground with the construction approach being considered as a shaft and hoist mechanism.

Mission Support and Test Services (MSTS)intends to subcontract the design and construction of a new access shaft, hoist system and hoist facility at the PULSE for ingress and egress to the underground facility in support of personnel, materials, and equipment.  The new access shaft and hoist requirements are based on the following details:

•   Access Shaft

• The PULSE is located approximately 1,000 feet below the surface complex.
• The access shaft will connect nominally 100 feet off an existing drift. As a result, mining will be required to be performed by the Subcontractor.
• Work will include (at a minimum) a permanent hoist, headframe, shaft steel, guides, and hoist house.
• Shaft lining shall be either steel or precast concrete.
• New shaft must accommodate dedicated utility space for future ventilation, utilities, and other infrastructure equivalent to 4-foot diameter shaft. Utilities are not included in this scope, only dedicated space in shaft.
• Must support facility mining operations with hoist equipped skip (enables “muck” to be transported to the surface) or similar feature.
• Topside and bottom side features to support safe and effective access, use, and maintenance of the access shaft and hoist for personnel, equipment, mining support, and other potential uses.

•   Hoist System

• Must support a minimum load of 36,000 lbs. and be qualified under an American Society for   Mechanical Engineers Nuclear Quality Assurance (NQA-1) Certification equivalent quality program.
• Must be compliant with DOE-STD-1195 and DOE-STD-1189.
• Must provide a means for reliable underground ingress and egress to support a shift change of at least 100 workers to exit and enter within a 30-minute time window.
• Cage dimensions must be designed to accommodate a payload of at least 8 feet wide x 8 feet deep x 10 feet high to accommodate underground ingress and egress of current and future experimental equipment (vessels) in support of MSTS programs.
• Must have independent backup power (for example, generator backup) to ensure ability to egress underground staff during loss of site delivered/distributed line power.

While the design and construction are of a commercial nature, the design must follow and be compliant with DOE-STD-1195 and DOE-STD-1189.  The successful Subcontractor must have an auditable quality assurance program that is comparable to stringent consensus quality standards and can be shown to exceed ISO 9001 requirements in design, procurement, fabrication, inspection, and software quality assurance areas.  

Responses to this notice should include the following:

1. Company name and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) to confirm company is registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://www.sam.gov, in accordance with FAR 4.1102(a).

1. Company’s business size for the NAICS code listed above, including Large Business, Small Business, Alaska Native American Business, Historically Underutilized Business (HUBZone); Indian Small Business Economic Enterprise (ISBEE); Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB); Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB); and/or Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB).

1. Capability statement and/or product brochure and/or any applicable past performance information which demonstrates that the supplies, equipment, or services can be provided by your company.

General Conditions:

The submission of a response to this opportunity does not create any implied or express contract between an OFFEROR and MSTS obligating MSTS to review or evaluate the sources sought or to make an award in accordance with the evaluation and selection criteria specified herein. The sources sought and the information specified herein are strictly for the convenience of MSTS. By submitting a response to this opportunity, OFFERORS acknowledgement and agree that they shall not be entitled to any compensation, damages, or remuneration of any kind whatsoever if MSTS fails to follow, or deviates from, or deviates from, these sources sought.