RFI Blade Seals - LLA Discharge Ring and Cavitation Repair

This is a special notice prepared in accordance with Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) PGI 206.302-1(d) “Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.”

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District, is executing a firm-fixed-price contract for the Little Goose Turbine Discharge Ring Upgrade and Blade Cavitation Repair. A critical component of this project is the replacement of the turbine blade runner packing seals across all six main units. These seals are essential to maintain a tight boundary and mitigate lubricating oil leakage from the Kaplan turbine hubs into the river. Due to historical quality control and dimensional tolerance issues with alternative vendors—which have led to premature failures, environmental hazards, and extended unit outages—the Government intends to specify the use of highly specific, proprietary materials: James Walker brand Turbine Blade Runner Back-to-Back Packing. The requirement consists of 36 seal stacks utilizing proprietary shape dimensions, Type 3 Acrylonitrile/butadiene based synthetic rubber headers, and NM59-74/80 Acrylonitrile/butadiene based synthetic rubber intermediate rings and glands with a nominal Durometer of 80 IRHD.

The statutory authority for this brand-name restriction, to be made as a part of the larger construction effort, is 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1) as implemented by RFO FAR 6.103-1(b) Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements, application for brand name descriptions.

The Government intends to solicit the Construction action in November 2026. The NAICS code is 237990 Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction. The associated Small Business Size Standard as defined by the U.S. Small Business Administration is $45 million.

THIS NOTICE IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS OR BIDS. This is a notice of intent to procure brand-name materials within a larger construction contract. The Government is seeking information from responsible sources who can provide alternative blade seals that meet the rigorous dimensional tolerances, material compositions, and exact fit requirements strictly necessary to prevent oil leakage.

Interested parties must provide a statement of capability with clear and convincing evidence (including independent laboratory testing and historical performance data on USACE Kaplan turbines) demonstrating that their proposed alternative seals can match the precise strength, rigidity, and exact shape dimensions required to properly compress the inner chevrons, without causing improper seating, premature seal failure, or oil leaks, and without requiring additional Government-funded teardowns or out-of-cycle replacements.

If no affirmative written responses demonstrating such capability are received by 10:00 AM Local Time on the notice end date, a solicitation will be issued that includes the brand-name material requirements. A determination by the Government not to compete this specific material requirement is solely within the discretion of the Government. Electronic responses shall be submitted via email to chandra.d.crow@usace.army.mil. Oral communications are not acceptable. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is not responsible for any costs incurred by responding to this notice.