Solicitation
BGNDRF PIPING UPGRADES
Department of the Interior · Bureau of Reclamation · Sol. 140R4025R0017
Due in 28 daysSmall business
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Some details weren't available to this summary, so it may miss requirements. Check the attachments on SAM.gov.
The Bureau of Reclamation (Albuquerque Area Office) wants a design-build contractor to upgrade the yard piping and flow measurement at the Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility in Alamogordo, New Mexico. The work covers new flow meters and vaults, rerouted source, potable and concentrate water piping, and hooking the meters into the existing SCADA control system, followed by testing and commissioning. It is a total small business set-aside run in two phases: qualifications are due November 6, 2026, and at most three firms are invited to bid in Phase 2. The contract form shows a 12-month period of performance.
Watch out for
- Only three firms advance. Phase 1 is a screening round, and only the three most highly qualified firms are invited to submit technical and price proposals, so the qualifications package must be strong.
A maximum of the three most highly qualified firms will move on to Phase Two.
- Very short Phase 1 timeline. Your references must return the past performance questionnaires three days before the qualifications are due, so reference requests need to go out right away.
and return the questionnaires via email to Valerie_jiron@ios.doi.gov no later than 11/3/2026 at
- Design-build with SCADA programming. The contractor must design the system and also program the new meter signals into the existing SCADA control system, which takes in-house or teamed controls and electrical expertise.
programming the new signals into the existing SCADA system.
- Price schedule and drawings held until Phase 2. You must submit qualifications without seeing the price schedule or the drawings and conceptual layout figures, so scope and cost risk are hard to judge up front.
• TO BE PROVIDED IN PHASE 2 ONLY
- Inconsistent solicitation documents. The cover page shows solicitation 140R4025Q0017 instead of R0017, the reference questionnaire shows a 2024 return date and a different email address, and the evaluation language mixes best-value, negotiation and award-without-discussions wording, so ask the contract specialist to confirm the instructions.
4:00 p.m., local time (MDT) on September 5, 2024
- Daily liquidated damages. Finishing late costs the contractor $1,616.08 for each calendar day of delay.
Contractor shall pay liquidated damages to the Government in the amount of $1,616.08 for each
- No payment until submittals are accepted. The Government pays for design items and in-place construction only after it accepts the related submittals, which can slow cash flow.
No payment will be made for design phase items or in-place construction until Government
- 50 percent self-performance. A small business must do at least half the work with its own forces, which limits how much you can hand to subcontractors or a larger teaming partner.
internally completed work will be rated more favorably, 50 percent internal work minimum.
- Working in an active research facility. Other contractors will be working nearby, work hours are restricted, and any water that needs disposal goes to on-site evaporation ponds with capped volumes.
Pond 1 Maximum Volume Available to the Contractor: 360,000 gallons.
- Option scope is open-ended. The optional leak repair covers 50 to 500 feet of pipe found only after leak location, so price it carefully per 50-foot section.
OPTIONAL CLIN: Locate leak and replace 50-500 ft
Read from the notice and 3 attachments.
- Sol_140R4025R0017.pdf
- Attachment_1_-_Statement_of_Objectives_rev.pdf
- Attachment_2_-Past_Performance_Questionnaire.docx
Full brief
What they want
- Design and build upgrades to the site's source water, potable water and concentrate water piping and flow measurement
- TP10 Flow Measurement Vault with valves, piping, controls and three magnetic flow meters; replace the 4-inch TP10 return line to Source Water Storage Tank 2 and remove the old partially buried TP10 manifold
- New TP10 piping manifolds, buried concentrate-water drain lines, and a valving manifold in a new concentrate water vault feeding the evaporation ponds
- More magnetic flow meters (TP7 6-inch line, Well 2/4 bypass line, concentrate water vault), plus modified piping and new isolation valves at test pads TP7, TP8 and TP9
- Four new concrete vaults giving access to the existing pond and agriculture flow meters
- New conduit, controls cabling, surge protection and programming of the new signals into the existing SCADA system, plus heat trace and insulation
- Testing, training and commissioning, including a 2-day continuous monitored test, spare parts and record drawings
- Optional line item: locate leaks and replace 50 to 500 feet of damaged Source Water Storage Tank 2 pipeline in 50-foot sections
- Contract type
- Firm-fixed-price design-build, using two-phase selection procedures (FAR Subpart 36.3)
- Period of performance
- 12 months; the contract form shows 01/08/2027 to 01/07/2028, plus one option line item (leak location and repair) with anticipated exercise 01/08/2027
- Place of performance
- Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility, 500 Lavelle Road, Alamogordo, NM 88310 (Otero County)
- How they'll choose
- Two-phase design-build. Phase 1 evaluates qualifications and shortlists at most three firms. Phase 2 weighs technical proposals and price for best value, with all non-price factors combined significantly more important than price. Award may be made with or without discussions.
- Offers due
- Phase 1 qualifications are due Friday, November 6, 2026 at 4:00 PM MDT (SAM.gov shows 2026-11-06T16:00:00-07:00). Questions are due Wednesday, October 28, 2026. Past performance questionnaires from your references are due back by 11/3/2026 at 4:00 PM MDT.
- How to submit
- Email to Valerie_jiron@ios.doi.gov with the solicitation number in the subject line; the solicitation recommends confirming receipt with the Contract Specialist
- Page limits
- Each key personnel resume is limited to 4 pages. In Phase 2 the partnering discussion is limited to 3 pages. No overall page limit for Phase 1 is stated in the text provided.
What they'll judge offers on
- Phase 1 (four factors, approximately equal in importance): General Technical Approach; Technical Qualifications; Project Team Organization and Key Personnel; Past Performance
- Phase 2 (three technical factors of equal importance): Design Concept; Technical Approach; Teaming Agreements
- Phase 2 Price (completeness, price reasonableness and total evaluated price)
What to include when you submit
- Phase 1 document must be titled "Qualifications for 140R4025R0017 Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility Yard Piping and Flow Measurement Upgrade"
- Include company name, address, phone, email, point of contact and your SAM.gov Unique Entity ID
- Acknowledge any solicitation amendments
- List your proposed team (firm name, address, and role as Prime, JV partner or Subcontractor)
- Factor 1, General Technical Approach: work plan for design and construction, milestone schedule, means and methods, design and construction quality control, and a risk list with mitigation
- Factor 2, Technical Qualifications: up to 3 similar projects completed in the last 8 years, covering both designer and builder experience (projects need not be in New Mexico)
- Factor 3, Key Personnel: resumes with education, certifications and experience, roles and responsibilities, a responsibility matrix, a personnel management plan and organization charts
- Factor 4, Past Performance: send a Past Performance Questionnaire to the reference for each project listed and have them return it by email
- Mark trade secret and proprietary information with the required legends
- Phase 2 (shortlisted firms only): signed SF 1442, technical proposal (Design Concept, Technical Approach, Teaming Agreements) and price proposal on the Section B schedule, with a labor category, hours and rates listing for the design CLIN
You must have
- Total small business set-aside; the NAICS code is 237110 with a $45.0 million size standard
NAICS 237110 Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction. Size Standard $45.0M.
- At least 50 percent of the work must be done by your own firm; this ties to the limitations on subcontracting clause (FAR 52.219-14) and is part of the Phase 2 Teaming Agreements rating
internally completed work will be rated more favorably, 50 percent internal work minimum.
- Designers of record must be a licensed professional engineer or registered architect
Designers of Record: Licensed professional engineer or registered architect.
- Key personnel with resumes, certifications and relevant experience; the specific key positions are not listed in the text provided
Submit resumes titled as Resumes of Key Personnel Proposed for this Contract, which addresses
- Commissioning experience: the commissioning section requires experience commissioning at least three infrastructure systems of similar scope
Performed commissioning services of at least three infrastructure systems of similar
- Active SAM.gov registration (the Unique Entity ID is required in the Phase 1 submission)
POC information, Unique Entity ID from SAM.gov
- Performance and payment bonds clause (FAR 52.228-15) and a bid guarantee provision (FAR 52.228-17) are listed; the SF 1442 blocks saying whether bonds and an offer guarantee are required are not legible
Not in the notice text
- Estimated contract value or budget range: none is stated
- Phase 2 price schedule (Section B), drawings, conceptual layout figures, geotechnical report and other Division 51 and 52 information are not provided until Phase 2
- Whether performance and payment bonds and a bid guarantee are required, and the amounts (the SF 1442 blocks are not legible)
- Which key personnel positions must be named in Phase 1
- Page limits for the Phase 1 narratives (only the 4-page resume limit and 3-page partnering limit are stated)
- Section J attachment list and Section K certifications: the middle of the solicitation was not provided
- Large parts of the Statement of Objectives specifications (such as submittals, safety and health, and general performance requirements) were left out, so some requirements may be missing
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Key facts
- Response due
- Nov 6, 2026, 11:00 PM UTC
- Posted
- Oct 7, 2026
- Notice type
- Solicitation
- Solicitation
- 140R4025R0017
- Agency
- Department of the Interior · Bureau of Reclamation
- Office
- Albuquerque Area Office
- Set-aside
- Small Business Set Aside - Total
- NAICS
- 237110
- Product/service code
- C1NE
- Business type
- Energy, fuel & utilities
- Contracting contact
- Jiron, Valerievalerie_jiron@ios.doi.gov5054623658
Full notice text from SAM.gov
BRACKISH GROUNDWATER NATIONAL DESALINATION RESEARCH FACILITY YARD PIPING AND FLOW MEASUREMENT UPGRADES
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