Detroit Dam Selective Withdrawal Structure (SWS)

1. General. This is a SPECIAL NOTICE and is for informational/market research purposes only. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, QUOTATION OR BID, NOR A SYNOPSIS OF A PROPOSED CONTRACT ACTION UNDER FAR SUBPART 5.2. 2. Notice Details. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Northwestern Division, Portland District (CENWP) is seeking industry input as it evaluates project risks, industry capabilities, and the potential acquisition strategy for a proposed alternative to the existing downstream fish passage at Detroit Dam, on the North Santiam River. This proposed alternative is titled, "Detroit Dam Selective Withdrawal Structure (SWS)". The North American Industrial Classification Code (NAICS) for this potential requirement would be 237990, "Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction". The related size standard is $36.5M. 3. Project Site Background/Scope. Detroit Dam is one of 13 multipurpose projects operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the Willamette Valley River Basin in Oregon and is located in Marion and Linn Counties at river mile 60.9 on the North Santiam River, see Figure 1. The project construction was completed in 1953 and was built primarily for flood control and hydroelectric power generation, however, other major purposes include recreation and conservation uses involving releases of stored water. Additionally, there are communities located downstream of Detroit Dam that rely on the North Santiam River as a source of water. These include the cities of Stayton (population 8,080 (2016), approximately 30 miles downstream of Detroit Dam) and Salem (population 167,419 (2016), approximately 45 miles downstream of Detroit Dam), as well as several other smaller municipalities. The dam is a concrete gravity dam that is approximately 1,457 feet long with a maximum height of 450 feet above the lowest portion of its foundation. Major features include a concrete dam, which includes a spillway with six tainter gates, five regulating outlets, two penstocks, and a detached powerhouse with two turbine units. See Figures 2 and 3. The reservoir elevation fluctuates 120' every year to allow Detroit Dam to provide its flood control mission. See the graph in Figure 4. This graph shows the rule curve in the solid black line, which indicates the desired reservoir elevations throughout any given year. This particular rule curve also shows the actual data from 2014, including the red line - actual reservoir elevation, green line - inflows to the reservoir, and blue line - outflows from the reservoir. The Willamette Basin, including the North Santiam, is home to several anadromous fish species. An anadromous fish is a fish born in fresh water but spends most of its life in the sea and then returns to fresh water to deposit eggs (spawn). In 2008, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service issued the Willamette Biological Opinion (BiOp) which identified the Reasonable and Prudent Alternative (RPA) to avoid jeopardizing the continued existence of Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed fish in the Willamette basin. The listed fish species in the North Santiam River are spring Chinook and winter steelhead. The BiOp identified the following two areas of concern at Detroit Dam: a. Water Temperature and Total Dissolved Gas (TDG) During the summer, the water released from the dam through the low level turbine intakes and regulating outlets is too cold. In the fall and early winter, as the reservoir is drawn down the water released is too warm. RPA 5.2 requires investigation and implementation of improvements to downstream temperatures and reduction in TDG in the North Santiam River for ESA-listed fish species. b. Downstream Fish Passage Detroit Dam was constructed without any way for fish to pass up or downstream of the dam. The BiOp requires the adult fish to have access to the pristine spawning habitat in the mountain springs above the dam, which requires downstream passage at the dam for the juvenile fish to pass the dam safely. RPA 4.12.3 requires investigation and implementation of safely passing juvenile fish downstream of Detroit Dam. Anticipated period of performance: CENWP anticipates the period of performance would entail completion of plans and specifications by June 2020, with construction beginning in November 2020 and completing in June 2024. Estimated Construction Cost (ECC): The current ECC is between $100,000,000 and $250,000,000. 4. Path Forward. CENWP is determining the feasibility of underwater construction of a SWS in the Detroit reservoir for temperature control, which would be constructed as the first phase of the downstream fish passage system. The Product Development Team (PDT) investigated alternatives in an Engineering Documentation Report (EDR) and is currently developing a Design Documentation Report (DDR) for the SWS. The DDR is still in development and not all of the details have been worked out at this time. Due to potential downstream impacts resulting from an extended reservoir drawdown, the PDT is investigating the design and constructability of an SWS that is attached to the dam, and constructed with reservoir elevations following the normal rule curve. The attached to the dam SWS is anticipated to be 370' tall by 40' by 120' (see Figure 7 and 8). Flow control into the SWS would be accomplished via two high intake weirs for surface flow (adaptable to the changing reservoir elevation while always skimming warm water off the surface) and four low intake gates to allow for mixing of the water to achieve the proper temperature downstream (see Figure 9). The high intake weirs are planned to be telescoping weirs, with a total height of 165'. The low intake gates are planned to be 10' tall by 15' wide. The SWS is planned to allow connection of a floating screen structure (FSS) to screen and collect fish for safe passage downstream of the dam. Constructing a large tower on a steep-sided reservoir bank and in 100-350 feet of water (dependent on reservoir operations) would require extremely challenging construction means and methods. Due to numerous constraints, CENWP is investigating whether the SWS could be constructed using in-the-wet construction techniques. CENWP expects this would involve constructing a suspended/elevated work platform to facilitate pre-casting (match-casting) the SWS in segments, lowering the segments into the water with cranes/winches, and then post-tensioning (vertically to the rock below, and horizontally to the dam) all the pre-cast segments together. All of the concrete, including the foundation, would have to be placed within tight tolerances so that the SWS high intake weirs are functional over the full 120-foot range of reservoir fluctuations. CENWP has identified the following construction concerns that would be associated with constructing this attached to the dam SWS: a. Complex diving requirements at depths of up to 350 feet of water. b. Blasting and rock excavation adjacent to the concrete dam and grout curtain in up to 350 feet of water. c. Placement of the SWS foundation in up to 350 feet of water. d. Supporting, lowering, and setting the massive pre-cast concrete segments with very tight tolerances in up to 350 feet of water. e. Post tensioning the 350-375 foot tall SWS, and constructing the foundation slab with diver assistance in up to 350 feet of water. f. Installation of steel guides within tight tolerances to ensure operation of the high intake weirs and low intake gates. g. Maintaining a schedule to minimize disruption to reservoir and river stakeholders. 5. Acquisition Strategy Methods and Considerations. CENWP anticipates the SWS would be designed in-house by significant majority if not completely, due to system complexity, integration of the SWS and the FSS, and regional coordination. In determining the feasibility of constructing the SWS, however, CENWP wishes to team with industry to ensure constructability following design if this alternative is selected, as CENWP is concerned that the method of procuring construction of the SWS could affect its constructability. As a result, CENWP requests industry feedback on the following potential acquisition methods, for which CENWP has identified considerations and/or concerns. Design-Bid-Build, i.e., USACE designs to 100% level and issues a solicitation based on the design package to construction firms. There is concern the design would not be constructible or receive competition if the design effectively dictates means and methods that are overly restrictive (e.g., how the design specifies the size and weight of sections of the SWS (modularity)). Design-Build, i.e., USACE designs to below 100% level, and solicits the requirement to finalize the design according the awardee's capabilities, means, and methods. Currently, the design is in a very early stage, and there is expectation the design could change significantly throughout the design process. If a Design-Build requirement is solicited early in the design process, there is concern whether the Government would receive a fair and reasonable price due to the large amount of risk any contractor would be accepting. If a Design-Build requirement is solicited later in the design process, either the benefits from including industry early would not be realized, or there may be significant redesign of the SWS due to the awardee's capabilities, with limited time available in the schedule for this further design/redesign. Additionally, as this project likely will be incrementally funded, there may be funding constraints at the early stage of design. Early Contractor Involvement (ECI), i.e., USACE designs to 100% level with input during design from the construction contractor, followed by construction by the construction contractor. In this acquisition method, commercially known as "Construction Management at Risk," USACE would select the construction contractor prior to the completion of design. The resulting contract would include base items for preconstruction services, under which the construction contractor would provide input throughout design. The construction phase services then would be optional items on the contract. The intent of ECI is that the construction contractor gives feedback to the designer while the project is still in design so as to decrease construction costs/time and increase the quality of the design. This method is seldom employed throughout USACE, and requires use of a fixed-price incentive (successive targets) contract, which is described in FAR 16.403-2. This contract type has substantial administrative requirements. A draft Earned Value Management System (EVMS) and cost accounting plan, specific to the project would be a required proposal element. The contractor would have to be prepared to implement an EVMS in accordance with FAR subpart 34.2 and DFARS Subpart 234.2. The selected contractor would be required to have and maintain an approved Cost Accounting System in accordance with FAR part 31. Prequalification, i.e., USACE designs to 100%. A pool of qualified construction contractors would be established based on responses to objective evaluation criteria. USACE would invite the prequalified contractors to provide feedback on the design as it is being developed. Prequalification as described in DFARS 236.272 limits offerors to those with proven competence to perform in the required manner. Prequalified contractors would be invited to design charrettes and other meetings where the Government would solicit feedback on the design. All information any contractor provides is available for all prequalified contractors. The Government is the party which in the end decides which inputs were of value to be included in the final design. Prequalified contractors would then compete for the construction contract for the SWS at the 100% design level. 6. Communications with Industry. CENWP is interested in feedback from interested firms. Firms must follow the submission instructions below to coordinate a date and time for a one-on-one, which CENWP will host via either a teleconference or in-person meeting, to discuss concerns that that firm sees for the requirement, the firm's capabilities, and any recommendations on the acquisition method. CENWP will schedule one-on-ones on a rolling basis as it receives responses to this announcement. This announcement closes January 8th, 2019. CENWP hopes to conclude all one-on-ones by close of business January 9th, 2019. The schedule filling may preclude a contractor from being offered a one-on-one. 7. Submission Instructions. To be offered a one-on-one, interested parties must contact both POCs listed on this announcement via email, in the following format: SUBJECT: "Detroit SWS - One-on-one Request" CONTENT: Firm name and CAGE code, a summary of any projects the contractor has performed and deems of similar complexity and with similar features, general experience with the acquisition methods listed, if the firm currently has an approved Cost Accounting System (CAS), and any questions, recommendations, or concerns the firm has which may influence the acquisition strategy. Contractors' responses shall be limited to ten (10) pages and shall include the following information: a. Firm's name, address, point of contact, phone number, e-mail address, CAGE & DUNS numbers, and Construction Bonding Level per contract. b. A summary of any projects the contractor has performed and deems of similar complexity and with similar features and scope ($100-250M) within the past ten years. c. A summary of the firm's experience with the acquisition methods listed (primarily if the firm has experience with ECI). d. If the firm currently has an approved Cost Accounting System (CAS). e. The firm's interest in proposing/bidding on the requirement, should it be solicited. f. Any questions, recommendations, or concerns the firm has which may influence the acquisition strategy and would like to discuss in the one-on-one. 8. Disclaimer. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this Special Notice or any follow up information. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's capabilities to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or to provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted.