Solicitation l 650-22-103 l Replace Primary Substation

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration is seeking construction services to replace the primary electrical substation at the Providence VA Health Care System located in North Providence, Rhode Island. The project involves demolishing the existing substation and constructing a new outdoor substation with approximately 500 feet of underground duct bank, equipment pads, manholes, and tie-ins to the existing 11.2kV distribution system. Technical and past performance factors will be evaluated and, when combined, will be significantly more important than price in determining the contract award. The solicitation requires a bid guarantee of 20% of the bid price or $3M, whichever is less. Key dates include a site visit on February 19, 2025, written questions due February 26, 2025, anticipated answers by March 5, 2025, and proposals due March 24, 2025 by 4:30 PM EST.

The contract is 100% set-aside for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses under NAICS code 237130 with a $45M size standard. The estimated construction magnitude ranges between $5-10M, with a period of performance of 630 calendar days after Notice to Proceed. Contractors must comply with prevailing wage determinations, which include specific hourly rates for various construction trades such as electricians at $52.11/hour plus benefits. The project will occur at 830 Chalkstone Avenue in Providence, Rhode Island, and requires coordination with local utilities and VA staff to minimize electrical outages during construction. Geotechnical investigations have already been completed, revealing subsurface conditions that include non-engineered granular fill and glacial outwash soils, with groundwater observed at approximately 42 feet below ground surface.