Construct New Campus Chiller Plant

The Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office is soliciting proposals for construction of a new campus chiller plant at Marion VA Medical Center in Marion, Illinois, under a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) set-aside, with proposals due August 27, 2026. This is a competitive negotiated acquisition (FAR 15.103-1 tradeoff) in which non-price factors significantly outweigh price.

Eligibility is restricted to SDVOSB firms under NAICS 236220 (Commercial and Institutional Building Construction). The scope covers entirely new building infrastructure with mechanical systems for centralized chilled water generation and distribution. The prime contractor must submit 3–5 examples of completed construction projects exceeding $15 million and completed within 10 years, with preference for federal, state, or local government projects at medical facilities. The mechanical subcontractor must demonstrate experience with centralized chiller plant installations exceeding $5 million completed within 6 years. Prospective bidders must have no more than three serious, one repeat, or one willful OSHA or EPA violation within the past three years.

SDVOSB contractors must ensure that no more than 85 percent of government payments for labor are paid to non-certified SDVOSB firms, with a minimum of 15 percent of project labor performed by the contractor's own employees or other eligible SDVOSB concerns.

Evaluation is weighted toward five non-price factors: technical construction and relevant experience of the prime contractor, past performance, technical qualifications of the mechanical subcontractor, technical qualifications of proposed key personnel, and the prime contractor's safety plan. Proposals must be submitted electronically in three volumes (Technical Proposal, Price Proposal with Standard Form 1442, and Bid Bond) to contracting officer Jeanette Mathena and contract specialist Maria Hoover. Amendment 0001, posted July 30, 2026, extended the deadline to August 27, 2026 and provided updated instructions, a revised Past Performance Questionnaire form, and VAAR 852.219-75 notice of subcontracting limitations.