Construction of Chilled Water Plant and Site Utility Upgrades at VA Medical Center in West Haven, CT

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, is preparing to issue an unrestricted Best Value Trade-Off Request for Proposal for the Construction of Chilled Water Replacement and Site Utility Improvements Phase A2 at the Department of Veterans Affairs campus in West Haven, Connecticut. This major infrastructure project, classified under NAICS code 236220 with a $45 million size standard, has an estimated construction cost between $40 million and $115 million and is scheduled for solicitation in August 2026, with award anticipated in late spring 2027. The contract will require a performance period of three and a half years and involves comprehensive demolition and construction of a new multi-story chilled water plant to replace the existing facility, including chillers, cooling towers, pumps, and associated mechanical and electrical systems. Concurrently, the project includes significant utility upgrades such as replacement of fire protection and domestic water mains, installation of redundant chilled water, steam, condensate, and electrical loops, construction of new water storage tanks, and a new fuel tank farm to support the central boiler plant, all while operating in close proximity to an active medical facility. The work is part of a larger strategic initiative by the VA Connecticut Healthcare System to modernize aging infrastructure and meet evolving standards of patient care through its SCIP process. The project must comply with the Department of Veterans Affairs Physical Security Resiliency Design Requirements and is expected to achieve USGBC LEED Silver certification. All construction activities must be meticulously coordinated with ongoing medical operations to minimize disruption, and the limited space available on the active campus restricts laydown and storage areas. The project spans civil, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, structural, and geotechnical disciplines, demanding stringent coordination with onsite VA staff and external utility providers. The solicitation will be available exclusively online via SAM.gov and the Procurement Integrated Enterprise Environment, with no hard copies issued. Interested contractors must register in these systems to access the full documentation, and inquiries should be directed to the designated Contract Specialist. This presolicitation notice does not obligate the government to proceed with a contract.