Construction of a New District Cooling Plant at Wright Patterson Aire Force Base, OH

Active

Contract Opportunity

Description: The Corps of Engineers Louisville District is soliciting comments from the construction community addressing the potential use of Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) from large scale construction projects (exceeding $35 million) for projects consisting of interior and exterior modernization, renovation, and repair of existing residential/commercial construction projects.

This project will construct a one-story new chilled water District Cooling Plant (DCP), approximately 17,135 SF. There will be a Construction option of a new parking area to replace existing parking that will be lost due to the boundaries of the new building. This project will be located in Area A of Wright Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB). OH.

The DCP will be an unoccupied one-story building. The exterior façade is to be pre-cast panels.

The DCP will consist of four 675-ton chillers to provide for the existing 2000 tons of load with N+1 capacity. Space, but not equipment, will be provided for the 500-ton energy recovery chiller for the ISF and for one additional 675-ton chiller.

Electrical switchgear, transformers, and cabling will be installed for the four base 675-ton chillers. Space for transformers, switchgear, and conduits will be installed for the future 500-ton ISF chiller and the additional future 675-ton chiller.

The cooling towers will be stainless steel, open crossflow units with above ground basins to match chiller

capacity at N+1. Space will be provided for future chiller tower additions.

Water softening treatment will be installed in the DCP and will feed the DCP and will back feed existing facilities.

Facilities will be designed as permanent construction in accordance with the DoD Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) 1-200-01, General Building Requirements and UFC 1-200-02, High Performance and Sustainable Building Requirements. This project will comply with DoD antiterrorism/force protection requirements per UFC 4-010-01. Facility-Related Control Systems will be designed IAW with Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) 4-010-06 Cybersecurity of Facility-Related Control Systems Sep 2016, and DFARS 252.204-7012 Safeguarding Covered Defense Information and Cyber Incident Reporting.

A PLA is defined as a pre-hire collective bargaining agreement with one or more labor organizations that establishes the terms and conditions of employment for a specific construction project and is an agreement described in 29 U.S.C. 158(f). Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Policy:

(a) Project Labor Agreement (PLA) is a tool that agencies may use to promote economy and efficiency in Federal procurement. Pursuant to Executive Order 14036, agencies are encouraged to consider requiring the use of project labor agreements in connection with large-scale construction projects.

(b) An agency may, if appropriate, require that every contractor and subcontractor engaged in construction on the project agree, for that project, to negotiate or become a party to a project labor agreement with one or more labor organizations if the agency decides that the use of project labor agreements will

(1) Advance the Federal Governments interest in achieving economy and efficiency in Federal procurement, producing labor-management stability, and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations governing safety and health, equal employment opportunity, labor and employment standards, and other matters; and (2) Be consistent with law.

Reference: Provision: 52.222-33 Notice of Requirement for Project Labor Agreement and Clause 52.222-34 Project Labor Agreement.

In consideration of the above factors, and any others which may be deemed appropriate, the construction community is invited to comment on the use of PLAs. Of particular interest to the Government are responses to the following questions:

Are you responding as a Prime Contractor or a Subcontractor?

Do you have knowledge that a PLA has been used in the local area on projects of this kind? If so, please provide supporting documentation.

Are you aware of skilled labor shortages in the area for those crafts that will be needed to complete the referenced project? If so, please elaborate and provide supporting documentation where possible.

Are you aware of time sensitive issues/scheduling requirements that would affect the rate at which the referenced project should be completed? If so, please elaborate and provide supporting documentation where possible.

Identify specific reasons why or how you believe a PLA would advance the Federal Governments interest in achieving economy and efficiency in federal procurement.

Identify specific reasons why you do not believe a PLA would advance the Federal Governments interest in achieving economy and efficiency in federal procurement.

Identify any additional information you believe should be considered on the use of a PLA on the referenced project.

Identify any additional information you believe should be considered on the non-use of a PLA on the referenced project.

How likely are you to submit a proposal on this project if a PLA is required (choose a response):

1 – My company will not submit a proposal if PLA is required.

2 – My company plans to submit a proposal whether PLA is required or not.

3 – My company only plans to submit a proposal if PLA is required.

Please provide your comments via e-mail to Ranzel Merideth at Ranzel.L.Merideth@usace.army.mil no later than 11:00 AM EST on 7 July 2025.

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