Refuel Outage 28 Cooling Tower Beam Replacements

Energy Northwest, a joint operating agency and municipal corporation in Washington State, is requesting bids on cooling tower beam replacements at Columbia Generating Station in Richland under IFB No. 715127, with bids due September 23, 2026, and questions due September 16, 2026. Work is subject to Washington State prevailing wage requirements and must be completed within a 21-day window (estimated April 7–28, 2027) on two 12-hour shifts per day.

The scope includes replacing three deteriorated concrete beams in Cooling Tower 1A (two at the fourth-story level, one at the third-story level), with provisions for contingency replacements of beams directly beneath primary beams, and removal and reinstallation of fill and drift materials, including drift eliminator mats across multiple cooling towers. All field work occurs outside the Radiological Controlled Area; personnel must obtain Unescorted Access badges requiring background investigations, drug screening, and psychological evaluations.

Bidders must meet extensive responsibility criteria: current contractor registration, Washington Unified Business Identifier number, workers' compensation coverage, employment security registration, and prevailing wage compliance certification. Bid bonds equal to 5% of total bid price and performance and payment bonds equal to 100% of contract price (excluding sales tax) are required prior to work commencement. A 5% retainage applies to all invoices, with release contingent upon approval from three Washington State agencies (Department of Revenue, Employment Security Department, and Labor & Industries). Washington State sales tax applies to all invoices. Contractors are responsible for all personnel costs, equipment, materials, and remediation of damage not caused by Energy Northwest. Liquidated damages provisions apply for schedule delays and safety or operational violations; specific daily rates and caps are marked as TBD in the document. Contractors must comply with Inflation Reduction Act reporting requirements, submitting detailed payroll information for all laborers and mechanics. Contract award is expected within 45 days of bid opening.