Request for Information (RFI): National Park Service (NPS) Rehabilitate Marina Bulkheads at Flamingo

This announcement constitutes a Request for Information (RFI). This announcement seeks information from industry and will only be used for preliminary planning purposes. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION FOR PROPOSALS AND NO CONTRACT SHALL BE AWARDED FROM THIS RFI. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District is now soliciting comments from the construction community to specifically address technical questions and potential use of Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) for this large-scale construction project for potential award in fiscal year (FY) 2025. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District is planning an Industry Day/Site Visit event (1st quarter FY25) as a means of conducting market research to gauge the interest, capabilities, and qualifications of various members of the Construction Community, to include Small Businesses, as the Government must ensure there is adequate competition amongst the potential pool of responsible contractors. *Note: Additional information for the Industry Day/Site Visit will be available at a later time: Event Date: November 6, 2024 Event Location: Flamingo Lodge, Flamingo Marina, Everglades National Park Site Visit: Everglades National Park Event Schedule: TBD Event Registration: Please click the link below and register by November 1, 2024. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/industry-day-flamingo-marina-bulkhead-rehabilitation-tickets-1004565009987?aff=oddtdtcreator There is no solicitation currently. This request for capability information does not constitute a request for proposals and submission of any information in response to this market survey is purely voluntary. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this Special Notice or any follow-up information requested. The Estimated Magnitude of construction is between $25,000,000 and $100,000,000. The subject project has a total estimated period of performance of 895 calendar days from the date of Notice to Proceed and commencement of work would begin within 30 calendar days of receipt of the Notice to Proceed (NTP). The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code assigned to this procurement is 237990, Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction. The Small Business Size Standard for this project is $45.0 million. Project Overview: The bulkhead wall system was constructed in the 1950's to create four basins within Flamingo Marina. The four basins are known as Visitor Center Bay, Florida Bay, Whitewater Bay, and Maintenance Marina Bay. The existing bulkheads were constructed in the 1950's using pre-cast concrete panels located between soldier piles with steel tie rods anchoring the wall to creosote-treated piles which act as deadmen. The piles and panels were embedded approximately two feet below the mudline. Cast in place concrete caps were placed above the panels and piles. Sections of all the existing bulkhead caps, panels and piling show evidence of corrosion of the reinforcing steel. Cracks and spalls are visible on the top of the concrete cap and in some cases create potential tripping hazards for visitors and staff. Test pits performed, to the depth of the tie rods, at five locations during the design phase of this project did not identify any significant corrosion of the tie rods anchoring the wall nor any degradation of the tops of treated timber piling. However, based on information provided by the park personnel, USACE understands a similar bulkhead system, located at the Everglades City - Everglades National Park facility, constructed during the same era, suffered a tie-rod failure in July 2005. This failure required the emergency installation of new tie rods, anchors, and concrete cap. Based on this reported failure, it is logical to infer that some of the existing steel tie rods at the Flamingo Marina may be similarly corroded, since they are also installed within the tidal zone under similar conditions. Distortions in the pavement adjacent to the bulkheads also indicates possible bulkhead distress. To replace these bulkheads, cantilevered sheet pile will be placed approximately 22 inches in front of the existing bulkhead using the Press-In method combined with pre-auguring of sheet pile installation. The Press-In method was chosen as the installation method for the following reasons: Address the NPS concerns with vibration, noise, and contractor interactions with the various protected species found in the basins. To minimize risk of damage or failure of the existing bulkhead system due to vibration. To the address the limestone layers the sheet piles will be founded in without exposing the existing concrete panels nor soldier piles to loose material. To minimize the need to place construction loads near the existing bulkhead. The need for tight vertical and horizontal construction tolerances for the sheet piles. The Government is requesting answers to the following technical questions: 1. Can you describe your current sheet pile installation equipment types and if the equipment can meet the Press-In method of installation requirements? 2. The sheet pile will require significant embedment into a hard limestone layer. We are requiring pre-auguring to break up the limestone and allow for sheet pile placement; however, the existing bulkhead panels and soldier piles are near the auguring and embedded into the same limerock layer. To minimize the risk of failure of the existing bulkhead during the auguring process, positioning of the auguring system and minimizing the time between the auguring of the rock and placement of the sheet pile will be important. Can you explain how and what type of equipment you would use to accomplish the pre-auguring? 3. The area between the new sheet pile and the existing bulkhead will be filled with CLSM, in sections, and lifts, the ends of each segment will need seals placed to prevent the CLSM from flowing into the basin. Can you explain your approach to sealing the segments to allow for CLSM to be placed? 4. As the CLSM is placed, turbid water will be displaced, if turbidity barriers do not provide sufficient protection, how would you propose meeting the turbidity requirements? 5. Do you believe baker tanks and or filtering equipment will be required to treat the displaced water if the turbidity requirements cannot be maintained? 6. For architectural and corrosion prevention reasons a precast fa'ade is to be mounted in front of the sheet pile. This precast concrete fa'ade will extend from the top of the wall to below the mean low water elevation. The gap remaining between the fa'ade panel and the sheet pile is to be filled with CLSM, how would you seal this gap at the bottom and sides to prevent CLSM from flowing into the basin? 7. As stated above, the vertical and horizontal tolerances associated with the sheet pile placement are tight to allow for fa'ade panel placement and maintain the architectural look of the bulkhead. Can you explain how you propose to maintain these tolerances throughout sheet pile placement? 8. Several outfall pipes will penetrate the existing wall. These outfall pipe will need to be extended through both the new sheet pile and the concrete fa'ade panels; can you describe how you would accomplish this? 9. Various protected and potentially dangerous species and fauna populate the project site. Can you describe any experience you have working in highly environmentally sensitive areas and how you will handle the environmental restrictions that are required by this project? A Project Labor Agreement (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 as described in 29 U.S.C. 158 (f). Effective January 22, 2024, Final Rule (FAR Case 2022-003), implements Executive Order (E.O.) 14063, Use of PLAs for Federal Construction Projects, which requires the use of PLAs in large-scale (defined as $35 million or more) Federal construction projects within the United States. Contractors and subcontractors working on large-scale construction projects must negotiate or become party to a PLA with one or more labor organizations unless an exception is granted. This requirement applies to new solicitations, including task or delivery orders, issued on or after January 22, 2024. The Government is seeking information from both unionized and non-unionized contractors, as well as contractors familiar with the federal marketplace as well as new entrants, that may be interested in participating in competition for this procurement. Reference is made to: FAR Subpart 22.5 Use of Project Labor Agreements for Federal Construction Projects; provision, FAR 52.222-33 Notice of Requirement for Project Labor Agreement; and to clause, FAR 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 PLA's as part of the Government's market research. The Government is requesting responses to the following questions: 1. 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. Project Name and Location Detailed Project Description Initial Cost Estimate vs. Actual Final Cost Was the project completed on time? Number of craft trades present on the project Were there any challenges experienced during the project? 2. Are you aware and/or are there concerns by the prime contractors 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. Information may reference current apprenticeship statistics and workforce age demographics. 3. Are you aware of time sensitive issues/scheduling requirements where use of the PLA would affect the rate at which the referenced project would be completed? If so, please elaborate and provide supporting documentation. 4. Are you aware of any cost impact where the use of PLA will affect the construction cost of the referenced project? If so, please elaborate and provide supporting documentation. 5. Based on FAR 52.222-33 and alternates and 52.222-34 and alternates do you see any negative and/or positive impacts of submitting the PLA at one phase of the procurement process over another? If so, please explain. Also, provide an estimated and realistic timeframe that your company will be able to finalize a PLA. 6. Identify specific reasons why or how you believe a PLA would advance the Federal Governments interest in achieving economy and efficiency in federal procurement. 7. Identify specific reasons why you do not believe a PLA would advance the Federal Governments interest in achieving economy and efficiency in federal procurement. 8. Identify any additional information with supporting documentation/statistics that you believe should be considered on the use of a PLA on the referenced project. 9. Identify any additional information with supporting documentation/statistics that you believe should be considered on the non-use of a PLA on the referenced project. 10. Is your firm a serious interested party in that you intend to submit a proposal for this procurement? Will the use of a PLA impact your ability to bid? If so, please explain? All responses to this RFI will be evaluated and used in determining acquisition strategy. Submission Instructions: Serious interested parties who consider themselves qualified to perform the above-listed project are invited to submit your response on company letterhead no later than October 4, 2024, at 5:00PM, EST. For more information, please see the company letterhead template to submit technical questions and PLA's questions. All responses for under this notice shall be sent via email to Nicole Batista-Cruz at Nicole.M.Batista-Cruz@usace.army.mil and William Wallace at William.J.Wallace@usace.army.mil. INSTRUCTIONS FOR TECHNICAL INQUIRIES AND QUESTIONS (SPECIFICATIONS AND DRAWINGS). Technical inquiries and questions relating to the project specifications and drawings must be submitted through a Bidder Inquiry using ProjNet (https://www.projnet.org). All answers will be made available through ProjNet and will also be posted on the Sam.gov website in the form of a report generated from ProjNet. To facilitate the projects fast-paced schedule, we would appreciate your questions and feedback be submitted by 5:00 pm, EST on October 4, 2024. The Bidder Inquiry Key is: 7X5BME-F6IWN6 Specific Instructions for ProjNet Bid Inquiry Access from ProjNet home page: 1. Identify the Agency. This should be marked as USACE. 2. Email. Enter the email address you would like to use for communication. 3. Key. Enter the Bidder Inquiry Key listed above. 4. Click Continue. A page will then open saying that a user account was not found and will ask you to create one using the provided form. 5. Enter your First Name, Last Name, Company, City, State, Phone, Email, Secret Question, Secret Answer, and Time Zone. Make sure to remember your Secret Question and Answer as they will be used from this point on to access the ProjNet system. 6. Click Add User. Once this is completed you are now registered within ProjNet and are currently logged into the system.