Glendo-Lusk Rural Tap and Quinn Creek Substation

The Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) is seeking a contractor to execute a comprehensive upgrade of the Glendo-Lusk Rural Tap 69kV transmission line to a 115kV system and construct a new Quinn Creek Substation to enhance grid reliability and efficiency. The project involves removing approximately 35 miles of aging single-pole wood transmission infrastructure and replacing it with 115kV wood H-frame construction, with 34 miles following the existing alignment and 2 miles on a new route. The new Quinn Creek Substation, located approximately 25 miles northeast of Glendo, requires full design, fabrication, and installation of electrical systems including a 115/69/13.8-kV 50 MVA power transformer (government-furnished), circuit breakers, disconnect switches, grounding systems, control switchboards, indoor termination cabinets, and a 125 DC station battery system with chargers. All work must comply with WAPA’s Construction Standards, Standard Drawings, and Electrical Equipment Standards, with detailed specifications outlined across six technical attachments covering transmission line and substation requirements, commissioning, geotechnical conditions, and as-built documentation. The solicitation is a 100% Small Business Set-Aside under NAICS Code 237130, and the Government contemplates award of a Firm-Fixed Price contract with a mandatory performance period of 800 calendar days after issuance of the Notice to Proceed, commencing no later than 10 days after award. Contractors must submit electronic bids exclusively through FedConnect by the August 3, 2026 deadline and are required to bid on all items in the solicitation to remain responsive; failure to do so results in automatic disqualification. The bid schedule includes specific line items for conductor types, substation metalwork, electrical equipment, and mobilization work, with all equipment subject to stringent marking, labeling, and packaging specifications—including four-way pallets for indoor cabinets and heat-shrink marker sleeves with machine-printed, indelible black lettering on white for wire identification. Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) must be witnessed by the Contracting Officer’s Representative, with results and punch lists submitted electronically or in hard copy. Comprehensive commissioning is required, including pre-, during-, and post-commissioning phases, with deliverables such as Standard Operating Procedures, RTU point lists, RTAC settings, training for WAPA personnel, detailed test records, as-built