Z1DA--Upgrade Chiller Plant Construction Northport - Project 632-25-101

The Department of Veterans Affairs Technology Acquisition Center Austin seeks construction services to upgrade the existing chiller plant at Northport VA Medical Center in Northport, New York, with sealed bids due September 29, 2026 at 1:00 PM EDT. This procurement is a 100% set-aside for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB), requiring SBA certification and listing in the SBA certification database at both time of bid submission and award.

Work includes general construction and alterations to the chiller plant in two phases. Phase 1 requires completion and full operational status supporting the medical facility before Phase 2 authorization is issued. The contractor must install and maintain a temporary 900-ton chiller plant to support the medical facility throughout construction. Total project duration is 730 calendar days from Notice to Proceed, with performance beginning within 10 days of award. The estimated contract magnitude is $20 million to $50 million.

Place of performance is Northport, NY 11768. NAICS code is 236220, Commercial and Institutional Building Construction; PSC code is Z1DA.

Scope encompasses demolition of existing equipment, construction of a Medical Gas Room and Chiller Pump Room, installation of four new 800-ton water-cooled centrifugal chillers with associated piping and pump systems, medical vacuum and medical air equipment, electrical distribution including VFDs, plumbing, and fire protection systems. All contractor personnel require VA PIV Card badging and must complete privacy training and ACC platform training. As-built drawings in PDF and AutoCAD format are due within 15 calendar days after each completed phase. The contractor must engage separate qualified personnel for Site Safety and Health Officer and Quality Control Manager roles and manage asbestos-containing materials in existing pipe fitting insulation. Piping 12 inches and above must be True Schedule 40 carbon steel with no alternative wall thicknesses permitted. New DDC controls must integrate with existing Johnson FX platform. Core working hours are 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Friday, with after-hours coordination required for noise-generating and utility shutdown activities.

A bid guarantee of 20% of bid price (not exceeding $3 million) and performance and payment bonds at 100% of the original contract price are required. Construction wage rates per General Decision Number NY20260012 apply, effective May 18, 2026, with prevailing wage rates for Suffolk County classifications. The contract includes Buy American requirements for construction materials and a declining overhead and profit scale for change orders. For SDVOSB subcontracting compliance, the prime contractor cannot pay more than 85% of government payments to firms that are not certified SDVOSBs or Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs) listed in the SBA database; material costs are excluded from this calculation.

A mandatory pre-bid site visit occurred July 16, 2026. Technical questions were due July 24, 2026. Amendment 0004 issued September 14, 2026 extended the bid deadline and provided Addendum 01 with revised equipment schedules for Medical Vacuum (MV-1) and Medical Air (MA-1) systems, modifications to the Medical Gas Room cooling system including new air handler unit (AH-1), and corresponding architectural, mechanical, electrical, and fire alarm drawing revisions. Teleconference bid opening is scheduled for September 29, 2026 at 1:30 PM ET (call 1-872-701-0185, access code 793 439 546).