Sources Sought Notice - AT Courtyard, Bettis Laboratory - Department of Energy

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

1.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

• Notice Type: Sources Sought Notice (W911WN26R1CIY)
• Subject: Bettis Laboratory "AT Courtyard" Construction Project
• Primary NAICS Code: 237990 – Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction (Size Standard: $45.0 Million)
  Alternative NAICS Considered: 238910 – Site Preparation Contractors (Size Standard: $19.0 Million)
• Place of Performance: DOE Bettis Laboratory, West Mifflin, Pennsylvania 15122
• Response Deadline: 12:00 P.M. E.T., 11 September 2026

2.0 INTRODUCTION & OBJECTIVE

This is a Sources Sought Notice only. This is not a solicitation announcement, requesting proposals or bids. Its purpose is to conduct market research to determine the interest, capability, and availability of qualified businesses—specifically including small businesses, HUBZone small businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSB), women-owned small businesses (WOSB), and 8(a) certified small businesses—to perform a non-commercial civil utility, hardscaping, and landscaping construction project at the Department of Energy (DOE) Bettis Laboratory in West Mifflin, PA.

The project is being managed on behalf of the Government by Fluor Marine Propulsion, LLC (FMP), the operating contractor for the Bettis Laboratory under the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program / Naval Nuclear Laboratory (NNL).

Anticipated Construction Cost is between $2,500,000.00 and $5,500,000.00.

3.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION & SCOPE OF WORK

The "AT Courtyard" project involves comprehensive civil site preparation, utility line demolition and relocation, utility main installations, hardscaping, structural concrete and masonry, structural pergola erection, and advanced landscaping at a secure facility.

The selected contractor must be capable of executing work across the following core technical specification areas:

3.1 Site Preparation, Earthwork & Demolition

• Selective Demolition: Demolition and safe removal of selected existing site elements, including cutting and sealing underground utilities. Coordination of work to prevent disruption of ongoing, adjacent FMP facility operations.
• Site Clearing: Clearing of vegetation, grubbing, topsoil stripping, and stockpiling/stabilizing soil.
• Earth Moving & Dewatering: Significant excavation, grading, proof-rolling subgrades using 10-ton compaction rollers, backfilling, and structural fill placement. Control of groundwater and surface runoff during construction to keep excavations dry and subgrades stable.

3.2 Underground Civil Utilities

• Sanitary Sewers: Installation of green SDR-35 PVC gravity sanitary sewer piping (15-inch and smaller), precast concrete manholes with butyl rubber joint sealants, and coal tar epoxy waterproofing. High-requirement testing including vacuum testing of manholes (ASTM C1244), low-pressure air testing, and deflection testing using GO-NO-GO mandrels.
• Utility Line Removal & Abandonment: Disconnection, capping, and plugging of existing utilities in place or complete removal. Permanent valve abandonment matching existing site pavement or landscape conditions.
• Site City Water Utility Distribution Piping: Installation of AWWA C906/ASTM F714 high-density polyethylene (HDPE) water mains. Requires certified heat-fusion jointing (butt/socket fusion) with comprehensive data logging. Cleaning, pressure testing, and disinfection (AWWA C651) with mandatory water-quality lab verification.
• Storm Utility Drainage Piping: Installation of smooth-wall corrugated HDPE storm sewer and combination underdrain piping, precast concrete inlets (ASTM C913), and reinforced cast-in-place concrete trench drains with secured stainless-steel grates.
• Site Natural-Gas Distribution: Installation of ASTM D2513 medium-density PE gas piping (SDR 11) using electro-fusion joints (ASTM F1055). Installation of underground PE ball valves, cast-iron valve boxes, and nitrogen-gas pneumatic pressure/leak testing witnessed by FMP.

3.3 Concrete, Masonry & Paving

• Cast-In-Place Concrete: Providing, forming, reinforcing, placing, and curing of concrete wall footings, pipe bollard footings, thrust blocks, and encasements. Compressive strengths of up to 5,000 psi. Extensive quality assurance including on-site aggregate sampling, slump tests, and laboratory cylinder compression testing.
• Unit Masonry: Construction of brick and concrete masonry unit (CMU) structures including retaining walls, raised seating areas, and custom precast concrete caps.
• Paving & Decomposed Granite: Installation of exterior concrete roadway and walkway pavements over aggregate subbases, specialized joint sealants (multi-component jet-fuel-resistant elastomeric/urethane formulations), and stabilized decomposed granite utilizing organic binding agents around tree plantings.

3.4 Site Furnishings, Hardscaping & Landscaping

• Site Furnishings & Pergolas: Installation of high-end, freestanding site furnishings including custom steel benches, picnic tables, cast aluminum chairs, steel planters, double-pedestal low-profile fiberglass graphic panel signs, and a large-scale structural aluminum pergola (nominal dimensions 10' H x 16' W x 16' D) secured to structural concrete footings. All metal elements must meet Buy America Standards.
• Soil Preparation & Plants: Extensive landscaping including performance-tested planting soils, multi-layered engineered soil profiles for deep containers/rooftop-style planters (rooflite system), weed-control geotextiles, and organic/mineral mulching. Planting and 12-month warranty establishment of specified trees, shrubs, ornamental grasses, and ground covers.

4.0 SPECIAL CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS & SITE CONDITIONS

• Secure Facility Operations: The project is located within a highly secure government nuclear laboratory. The selected contractor must strictly comply with the following facility access control measures:
  
  • Prohibited Items: Personal electronic devices, including but not limited to cellular phones, smart watches, tablets, cameras, and recording devices, are strictly prohibited within the secure perimeter.
  • Citizenship Requirements: All contractor and subcontractor personnel requiring site access must be citizens of the United States. Dual citizenship is not permitted; all personnel must be U.S. citizens only.
  • Identification & Entry Vetting: All personnel—including prime contractors, subcontractors, and even temporary delivery drivers—must possess a state-issued Real ID and successfully complete and pass a background check administered by the Department of Energy (DOE) prior to receiving security badges or being granted physical access to the facility.
  • Logistics & Disposal: Contractors must comply with strict physical security protocols, vehicle searches, and FMP-specific hauling and waste disposal regulations.
• Personnel Certifications:
  1. PE Pipe Fusion: Technicians executing heat-fusion on gas or water piping must hold current certifications in accordance with ASTM F3190 / ASTM F2620.
  2. Landscape Supervisor: Field operations must be supervised full-time by an individual with a minimum of five (5) years of experience in landscape installation, holding a certification from the National Association of Landscape Professionals (e.g., Landscape Industry Certified Technician - Exterior).
• Testing & Inspection: Extensive field-testing is required throughout execution, to be performed by an independent, qualified laboratory (e.g., concrete strength, compaction, sewer hydrostatic/air pressure, gas pneumatic, soil chemistry/fertility).

5.0 SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Interested firms who believe they possess the capability to perform this work are requested to submit a response containing the following information:

1. Company Profile:
   
   • Company Name and address.
   • Point of Contact (Name, Title, Phone, Email).
   • Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and CAGE Code.
   • Business Size and Socio-Economic Status under NAICS 237990 and/or 238910 (e.g., Small Business, 8(a), SDVOSB, WOSB, HUBZone).
     1. In your best business judgement, indicate which NAICS Code is most appropriate for this project.
2. Bonding Capacity:
   • Provide maximum single-project bonding limit and aggregate bonding capacity.
3. Relevant Experience (Capability Narrative):
   • Provide up to three (3) transition/completion profiles of similar projects executed within the past five (5) years.
   • Similar projects are defined as civil site construction involving multiple utility distributions (water, gas, sewer), hardscaping, structural concrete/masonry, and commercial-grade site development.
   • Identify any experience executing work inside secure federal facilities or operating nuclear laboratories.
4. Key Certification Availability:
   • Confirm ability to provide U.S. citizen personnel meeting the facility access requirements, ASTM F3190 certified PE pipe fusion technicians, and certified landscape supervisors (SSSA / NALP certifications).

6.0 HOW TO RESPOND

Please submit your capability package via email to the following points of contact:

• To: Mario Taormina at Mario.Taormina@usace.army.mil
• Subject Line: “W911WN26R1CIY: Bettis AT Courtyard”
• Due Date: 12:00 P.M. E.T., 11 September 2026

Information submitted will be used strictly for market research and set-aside planning purposes; the Government will not pay for any information submitted in response to this notice.