Solicitation
Bgndrf Piping Upgrades
Department of the Interior · Bureau of Reclamation
AI summaryThe Bureau of Reclamation (Albuquerque Area Office) wants one firm to design and build yard piping and flow-measurement upgrades at the Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility in Alamogordo, New Mexico. It is a two-phase design-build competition set aside for small businesses: Phase One is a qualifications package due November 6, 2026 (an amendment moved it to Nov 13, 2026, 4:00 PM MST · 6:00 PM Eastern), and only up to three firms are invited to Phase Two to submit technical and price proposals. The work is planned for about 12 months starting around January 2027. More in the summary
AI summary Beta
Summary of the version posted Oct 9, 2026. The notice was amended Oct 28, 2026. The due date moved from Nov 6, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026. Check what else changed on SAM.gov. The notice looks incomplete: Estimated contract value or budget range (the price schedule is only released in Phase Two). Check the attachments on SAM.gov.
The Bureau of Reclamation (Albuquerque Area Office) wants one firm to design and build yard piping and flow-measurement upgrades at the Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility in Alamogordo, New Mexico. It is a two-phase design-build competition set aside for small businesses: Phase One is a qualifications package due November 6, 2026 (passed), and only up to three firms are invited to Phase Two to submit technical and price proposals. The work is planned for about 12 months starting around January 2027.
Who can bid (8)
- Must qualify as a small business: this is a total small business set-aside (size standard $45.0M for NAICS 237110).
- Active SAM.gov registration with a Unique Entity ID, which must appear in the Phase One package.
- Limitations on subcontracting apply, and in Phase Two teams with at least 50 percent of the work done in-house are rated better.
Show all 8Show fewer
- Performance and payment bonds clause is part of the contract; the text provided does not show the bond amount or whether an offer guarantee is required.
- Design must be done by licensed professionals (professional engineer or registered architect as designers of record), so the team needs a qualified design firm.
- Experience on up to three similar water infrastructure projects completed in the last eight years, covering both design and construction (SCADA and electrical controls included).
- An independent commissioning agent with experience commissioning at least three similar infrastructure systems must be hired as a subcontractor.
- Federal construction labor rules apply, including Davis-Bacon style construction wage rates and Buy American for construction materials (listed in the contract clauses).
How to submit: Email to Valerie_jiron@ios.doi.gov with the solicitation number in the subject line; the solicitation strongly recommends confirming receipt with the Contract Specialist., due Phase One qualifications due Friday, November 6, 2026, 4:00 PM (the solicitation says MDT; SAM.gov lists 16:00 UTC-7, and the amendment says MST). Questions due Wednesday, October 28, 2026. Reference questionnaires are due back to the government by 11/3/2026, 4:00 PM MDT.. What to include is under Full summary below. Check the solicitation's instructions on SAM.gov.
Things to watch (8)
- Serious: Only three firms advance. Phase One is a qualifications screen where at most three firms are invited to Phase Two, so you could spend a lot of effort on Phase One and still be cut.
- Serious: Design-build with SCADA integration. You need a licensed design team plus a builder who can run electrical, controls and programming work into an existing SCADA system, which is hard for a small civil contractor to cover alone.
- Serious: References must return questionnaires early. Your references must email their completed past performance questionnaires by November 3, three days before the package is due, so you must line them up now.
Show all 8Show fewer
- Worth checking: No site data or price schedule until Phase Two. Drawings, as-builts, SCADA diagrams, the site visit and the price schedule are all withheld until Phase Two, so you must write a Phase One approach and judge your interest without seeing the site.
- Worth checking: Liquidated damages. Finishing late costs $1,616.08 for every calendar day of delay, on a roughly 12-month design plus construction schedule.
- Worth checking: Bonding. The contract includes performance and payment bond clauses, so you may need surety bonding capacity; the bond amount and whether a bid guarantee is needed are not visible in the text provided.
- Worth checking: Payment tied to government acceptance. No design or construction payment is made until the government accepts the related submittals, which can slow cash flow.
- Minor: Restricted work hours and shared site. Work is limited to weekday daytime hours unless approved in writing, and other contractors (PFAS treatment building, pond liners, stormwater) may be working nearby.
Read from the notice and 5 attachments. Show which files.
- Sol_140R4025R0017_Amd_0001.pdf (read)
- Amendment_1_-_Question_Answer_140R4025R0017_0001.pdf (read)
- Sol_140R4025R0017.pdf (read)
- Attachment_1_-_Statement_of_Objectives_rev.pdf (read)
- Attachment_2_-Past_Performance_Questionnaire.docx (read)
Full summary
What they want
- Design and build upgrades to the site's source water, potable water and concentrate water yard piping
- Build a below-grade flow measurement vault (TP10) with three magnetic flow meters, valves and piping
- Install more magnetic flow meters elsewhere on site, with power, heat trace and conduit
- Connect all new meters to the existing SCADA control system, including cabling, surge protection and programming
- Replace and reroute buried piping and manifolds, and remove or abandon unused lines
- Install four concrete access vaults at existing pond and agriculture valve vaults
- Deliver 30%, 60%, 90% and 100% design submittals, then testing, training and commissioning
- Optional line item: locate a leak and replace 50 to 500 feet of damaged pipeline, priced in 50-foot sections
- Contract type
- Firm-fixed-price, design-build, with one separately priced option line (leak location and pipe repair)
- Period of performance
- 12 months from notice to proceed; schedule shows 01/08/2027 to 01/07/2028. The option line is anticipated to be exercised 01/08/2027.
- Place of performance
- Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility, 500 Lavelle Road, Alamogordo, New Mexico (Otero County)
- Estimated value
- Not stated
- How they'll choose
- Two-phase design-build selection (FAR Subpart 36.3). Phase One ranks qualifications and picks up to three firms. In Phase Two, award goes to the responsible offeror with the best-value technical and price proposal; non-price factors combined are significantly more important than price.
- Offers due
- Phase One qualifications due Friday, November 6, 2026, 4:00 PM (the solicitation says MDT; SAM.gov lists 16:00 UTC-7, and the amendment says MST). Questions due Wednesday, October 28, 2026. Reference questionnaires are due back to the government by 11/3/2026, 4:00 PM MDT. (from the version posted Oct 9, 2026; amended since)
- How to submit
- Email to Valerie_jiron@ios.doi.gov with the solicitation number in the subject line; the solicitation strongly recommends confirming receipt with the Contract Specialist.
- Page limits
- Each key personnel resume is limited to 4 pages. The Phase Two partnering narrative is limited to 3 pages. No overall page limit is stated in the text provided.
What they'll judge offers on
- Phase One: General Technical Approach
- Phase One: Technical Qualifications (designer and builder experience)
- Phase One: Project Team Organization and Key Personnel
- Phase One: Past Performance (reference questionnaires and CPARS)
- Phase Two: Design Concept
- Phase Two: Technical Approach
- Phase Two: Teaming Agreements (subcontractor roles, 50 percent internal work minimum)
- Phase Two: Price Proposal (completeness, reasonableness, total evaluated price)
What to include when you submit
- Title the document '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 Amendment 0001 (and any later amendments)
- List the proposed team (firm, address, role as Prime, JV Partner or Subcontractor)
- Factor 1: work plan narrative, milestone schedule, means and methods, design and construction quality control, and risks with mitigation
- Factor 2: up to three similar projects completed in the last eight years, showing both designer and builder experience
- Factor 3: resumes of key personnel, roles and responsibilities, responsibility matrix, personnel management plan and organization charts
- Factor 4: send past performance questionnaires (Attachment 2) to each reference so they return them directly to the Contract Specialist by 11/3/2026
- Mark any trade secret or confidential information with the legends in DIAR 1452.215-71
- An incomplete Phase One submission can be excluded from the competition
Not in the notice text
- Estimated contract value or budget range (the price schedule is only released in Phase Two)
- Bond amount and whether an offer guarantee is required (the SF 1442 fields are blank in the text provided)
- Existing site drawings, SCADA diagrams and technical specifications (released only to Phase Two firms)
- Exact formatting rules, such as an overall page limit for the Phase One package
- Details from sections of the solicitation and Statement of Objectives that were cut from the text provided, including the representations and certifications and detailed technical specifications
- Phase Two proposal due date and Phase Two schedule
Eligibility and how to respond
- Set aside for small businesses: only a business that counts as small under this notice's NAICS code can bid as the prime contractor. More open small business set-asides under NAICS 237110
- How to submit, from the AI summary: Email to Valerie_jiron@ios.doi.gov with the solicitation number in the subject line; the solicitation strongly recommends confirming receipt with the Contract Specialist. Check it in the notice before you send anything.
- Service contracts usually set minimum pay rates (the Service Contract Act). Price the labor with the SCA price calculator.
- Construction contracts over $2,000 pay at least the local Davis-Bacon wage rates, from the wage determination in the solicitation. Price your labor from it: How to price a government contract, and how Davis-Bacon differs from the Service Contract Act.
Notice details
- Posted
- Oct 28, 2026
- Notice type
- Solicitation
- Office
- Albuquerque Area Office, NM
- Product/service code
- C1NE · Architect and Engineering – Construction: Water Supply Facilities
- Business type
- Construction & renovation (FedReady's grouping, from NAICS 237110)
- Versions
3 versions have been posted, newest first.
- Oct 28, 2026 · Amendment 0002 (this version)Due Nov 13, 2026 (changed)
- Oct 9, 2026 · Amendment 0001Due Nov 6, 2026
- Oct 7, 2026 · SolicitationDue Nov 6, 2026
- Attachments
Past awards and competition
Who has won work like this before, the likely incumbent, and what similar contracts paid, from USAspending.gov.
Before you respond
- How to respond to a solicitation (8 steps)
- How to read a government solicitation
- How to price a government contract
- Set-aside contracts explained
Terms on this notice: Solicitation, Set-aside
Full notice text from SAM.gov
BRACKISH GROUNDWATER NATIONAL DESALINATION RESEARCH FACILITY YARD PIPING AND FLOW MEASUREMENT UPGRADES - Amendment 00002 is to provide solicitation Questions and Answers and extend the Phase One due date.