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Contract Opportunity

This Sources Sought is not a Request for Proposal, Request for Quote, or Invitation for Bid. There is no commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation, make awards, or pay for respondent's expenditures made in response to this notice. Interested vendors are responsible for monitoring this notice for any subsequent amendments. All submissions become government property and will not be returned. Any solicitation issued as a result of this notice will be in a separate announcement. The purpose of this notice is to survey interest and obtain capability statements from industry.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District is considering a requirement for design-bid-build construction at the Washington Aqueduct (WA) McMillan Water Treatment Plant to replace the entirety of the existing clearwell to provide structurally sound reservoir with improved water quality and reliable operation. The project’s anticipated magnitude of construction is between $25,000,000.00 and $100,000,000.00 with a construction duration of 27 months from issuance of the Notice to Proceed (around August 2024), and the contract will require a Project Labor Agreement (PLA). A solicitation would be publicized around May 2024. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 237110 – “Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction”, which has a small business size standard of $45,000,000.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

WA maintains and operates the Dalecarlia Water Treatment Plant and McMillan WTP. At the McMillan WTP, water flows from the Dalecarlia Reservoir via the Georgetown Conduit to the Georgetown Reservoir for sedimentation purposes. From the Georgetown Reservoir, the water flows through the City Tunnel to the McMillan Reservoir. From the McMillan Reservoir, water is pumped via the McMillan Pumping Station to the Filtration Building for treatment. Treated or filtered water then flows via a 14 million gallon (MG) North Clearwell to a 20 million gallon (MG) South Clearwell before being pumped into the distribution system.

The McMillan North Clearwell (NCW) is an approximate 612 LF x 162 LF underground structure that is 25’ deep and was built in 1904. The structure (i.e. roof, walls and floor) was constructed using un-reinforced concrete. The roof structure consists of a grid pattern of un-reinforced concrete arch slabs that bear on reinforced columns at 18 LF center to center.

The project consists of replacing the entirety of the existing NCW to provide a structurally sound reservoir with improved water quality and reliable operation within the distribution system. The major features of this project include the following:

• Construct a replacement for the existing NCW with an underground reinforced concrete, watertight tank (to prevent water seepage and infiltration). The project shall include the partial demolition of the existing NCW. The existing roof of the clearwell has strict loading requirements. The contractor shall adhere to these and establish a sequence that allows for the roof to be demolished safely prior to any interior demolition work.


• Utilize existing structural walls to establish a support of excavation (SOE) system to facilitate construction of the new walls. Proposed SOE system cannot use any tiebacks or penetrations through existing walls. The SOE system shall consist of struts, lateral bracings, supporting columns with micropile foundations, and connection elements between struts and existing concrete wall. Dewatering is expected to be required in order to reduce hydrostatic pressures on existing walls. A monitoring and contingency plan will be required to allow for measuring lateral and vertical movements along the existing walls. Careful sequencing of existing foundation mat slab and construction of the new foundation mat slab will be required to maintain structural stability of the existing walls.


• Reconstruct in kind two historic building structures which will sit in their original locations on the above-ground landscape which will rest upon the roof of the newly replaced NCW. Reconstruction will be carried out in accordance with the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Reconstruction. The buildings will be clearly identified as contemporary re-creations through the incorporation of corner stones or other means. Their replacement shall meet District of Columbia State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) requirements to match original building historical construction. A responsive bidder will be required to demonstrate qualifications and experience with historic preservation and reconstruction projects that follow these standards.


• Replace multiple valve actuators. This will require installing and field testing slide gates and actuators complete with frames, operating stems, stem guides, and all necessary accessories and appurtenances. Cast-Iron slide gates must be constructed and assembled in accordance with AWWA C560. Electric actuators must meet the requirements of AWWA C542.


• Construct cast in place concrete baffle walls inside the clearwell to assist with process mixing.


• Construct multiple access hatches and drainage chambers. Drainage chambers shall be protected during construction to prevent infiltration and damage to the overall system.


• Install and field test chemical dosing and sampling equipment.


• Install a roof underdrain system to control drainage on top of the NCW.

Major constraints of this project include the following:

• All work is being performed at an operational water treatment plant that must remain in service at all times. This project will require careful consideration to the electrical utilities surrounding the clearwell. This project will require relocation of electrical feeds prior to construction.


• Existing structural walls must remain. The proposed SOE system cannot include significant penetrations of the existing walls nor tiebacks nor systems that will threaten the existing utilities surrounding the clearwell. Careful sequencing of existing foundation mat slab and construction of the new foundation mat slab will be required to maintain structural stability of the existing walls.


• The NCW roof structure has limited weight restrictions. Work should be sequenced to allow for equipment to demolish the roof without violating the loading requirements and prior to demolition of the interior.


• There is an influent gate control valve located adjacent to the clearwell. This must be protected throughout construction to prevent infiltration and damage to the overall system.


• There is an existing drainage chamber sump below the existing control house building. This must be protected at all times. Existing drainage chamber walls cannot be demolished until the SOE is in place.


• The worksite is a secure facility with specific access and personnel requirements.

INDUSTRY DAY

USACE Baltimore District will conduct a live presentation of this project via WebEx. The presentation is tentatively scheduled for February 5, 2024 at 11:30AM Eastern Time. To attend the presentation, register by emailing the Contract Specialist and Contracting Officer listed below for the WebEx URL.

CAPABILITIES STATEMENT

Vendors interested in the potential procurement shall submit a brief capabilities statement as one PDF. The capabilities statement shall include the following.

1. Company name, address, point of contact, phone number, e-mail address, CAGE code, and UEI number.

2. Business size in relation to the NAICS, including small business socioeconomic status as applicable (e.g. woman-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, etc.)

3. A narrative and completed Experience Worksheet (see Attachment 1) of construction projects performed within the past ten years with experience in the following areas. Describe work performed as a prime or subcontractor, and the capability to meet any areas with no past experience (e.g. subcontract, joint venture, etc.).

• Performing quality construction work within limited and time-constrained outages without impacting production of potable water at an operating water treatment plant.


• The demolition and reconstruction of concrete water basin storage facilities.


• Managing soil removal, stock piling and regarding soil with production limited by weight restrictions for equipment that can be placed on roof slab.


• The demolition and reconstruction of historically significant brick masonry buildings. Reconstruction projects should have included historic construction standards and requirements to be approved for compliance with historic preservation societies.


• Construction of chemical dosing and sampling rooms including heating, ventilation, electrical and SCADA equipment.


• Successful replacement of large diameter valve actuators from trained and certified personnel in a timely manner.


• Excavation, grading, manhole, drain line and sub-drainage system installation.


• Performing contract administration tasks and planning for contingencies to maintain schedule completion dates.


• Knowledge of quality control, scheduling, and safety procedures and documentation, similar to those typically utilized on USACE projects.

4. Describe any large or small business subcontracting possibilities.

5. Describe bonding capability for a single contract action between $25,000,000 and $100,000,000, and total aggregate bonding capacity.

6. A completed PLA questionnaire (see Attachment 2).

7. Feedback on an acquisition strategy to consider: Request For Proposal using the Lowest Price Technically Acceptable or Tradeoff source selection process, or Invitation For Bid.

Email capabilities statement to the following:

Clark Miller, Contract Specialist at Clark.B.Miller@usace.army.mil

Ryan Fernandez, Contracting Officer at Ryandale.R.Fernandez@usace.army.mil

Interested parties are invited to submit a responses to this Sources Sought Notice no later than 11:00 AM Eastern Standard Time, February 9, 2024; reference Sources Sought number W912DR24X0Z54. Submissions will be shared with the Government project delivery team, but otherwise will be held in strict confidence. No feedback or evaluations will be provided to respondents regarding their submissions. If you have any questions, contact Clark Miller and Ryan Fernandez by email.

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