Solicitation
Triennial Circuit Breaker and Feeder Testing
Department of Veterans Affairs · Sol. 36C26127Q0067
Due in 30 days
Track this notice by email. We'll email you if it's amended or awarded, and a week and two days before responses are due.
AI summary Beta
Some details weren't available to this summary, so it may miss requirements. Check the attachments on SAM.gov.
The VA's Network Contracting Office 21 wants a contractor to do the three-year (triennial) testing of the electrical power system at the Reno VA Medical Center in Nevada: circuit breakers, feeder cables, medium-voltage switches and transformers. The work also includes infrared and standard photos, an updated coordination study and arc flash analysis, and a final report. The solicitation says it is a total set-aside for certified service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs), with an award based on price only.
Watch out for
- Set-aside status conflicts with SAM.gov listing. SAM.gov lists the set-aside as none, but the solicitation attachment says it is a total SDVOSB set-aside, so a non-SDVOSB bid would be rejected.
This procurement is a total SDVOSB set-aside. Offerors must
- Price-only award with no credit for qualifications. Only price decides the award, so a firm with strong credentials gets no advantage and must price a large, detailed scope accurately without seeing the equipment counts in a readable form.
PRICE ONLY
- Overnight work in an active hospital. Most testing runs 6PM to 6AM and on weekends in a working hospital, with outages to coordinate 2 weeks ahead and infrared scans on energized equipment, which raises labor cost and safety risk.
The contractor shall coordinate with the COR and facility 2 weeks before any outages that may occur.
- Specialized staff and training requirements. Every technician must be NETA-certified with OSHA 10 and NFPA 70E training, the superintendent needs OSHA 30, and the firm needs 5 years of matching experience, which many small electrical firms will not have.
for a minimum of five (5) continuous years
- Broad scope beyond routine testing. The job also includes a facility-wide coordination study, redrawn one-line diagrams in PDF and CAD, an arc flash analysis with new labels, medium-voltage cable work and replacement estimates, which usually needs an engineering partner.
Perform a coordination study to cover the entire VA Reno facility, as shown in the single lines provided.
- Repairs are excluded but must be priced as estimates. The contractor does not fix failed components but must report them immediately and provide repair cost estimates, so failures will not bring extra paid work under this contract.
The scope of work does not include the contractor performing any corrective action on failed components
- Short report deadline. A full written report with photos and test data is due within 7 days of finishing the survey.
A complete written report of the work performed shall be provided to the VA within 7 days of testing and survey completion.
- Subcontracting limit written two ways. The FAR clause lists 50% for services and 75% for special trade construction, and the signed certificate marks the 75% special trade box, so ask the Contracting Officer which limit applies before teaming.
Read from the notice and 2 attachments. 2 not read in full.
- 36C26127Q0067_1.docx
- Facility Single Line Diagram.pdf
- Facility Floor Plan.pdf: scanned PDF: no text to read
- Wage Determination 2015-5595 Washoe County.pdf: scanned PDF: no text to read
Full brief
What they want
- Test and exercise the electrical distribution system, including all 225-amp, 3-pole and larger circuit breakers, plus liquid-filled and air-cooled transformers, as marked on the color-coded one-line diagrams
- Test medium-voltage switches (oil-cooled) and test existing medium-voltage cables with very low frequency (VLF) procedures; inspect every vault
- Torque busing and lug connections, megger low-voltage feeder cables, and clean all electrical connections
- Take standard photos and infrared photos of each item tested (JPEG, under 4MB each); coordinate re-torquing of hot spots with the VA and re-scan
- Do an overcurrent protective device coordination study for the whole facility, update the one-line diagrams (PDF and CAD), and update the arc flash analysis and labels
- Label tested equipment with test date and firm name, and remove old test labels
- Deliver a complete written PDF report within 7 days of finishing, including repair and medium-voltage cable replacement cost estimates
- Follow the VA's suggested multi-day testing schedule, mostly overnight, and report failed items to the COR right away
- Contract type
- Firm-fixed-price, one lump-sum line item (quantity 1, unit JB); commercial services order on SF 1449
- Period of performance
- Work to be done as soon as possible after Notice to Proceed. The VA's suggested schedule is about 12 testing days, mostly overnight and weekend shifts, with a few backup days. No option years are mentioned.
- Place of performance
- Reno VA Medical Center (VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System), 975 Kirman Ave, Reno, NV 89502
- How they'll choose
- Price only. The award goes to the responsible offeror whose conforming offer is most advantageous to the Government, with price as the only evaluation factor.
- Offers due
- 2026-11-09 at 12:00 PM Pacific time (SF 1449 shows 11-09-2026, 12PM PST; SAM.gov shows 12:00 at UTC-08:00)
- How to submit
- Email to alex.arter@va.gov (Alex Arter, 279-944-5640). Contracting Officer is Charee Harris.
What they'll judge offers on
- Price only
What to include when you submit
- Submit a signed and dated offer that includes the solicitation number, your name, address and phone, and your UEI
- Complete SF 1449 blocks 12, 17, 23, 24 and 30 and fill in the unit price and total on line item 0001
- Include a statement of how far you agree with all solicitation terms and conditions
- Return the signed VAAR 852.219-75 limitations on subcontracting certification with the offer; offers without it will not be evaluated
- Be verified in the SBA certification database (and SBA DSBS, per the notice text) when you submit the offer
- Hold prices firm for 60 calendar days after the due date
- Complete the other representations and certifications not already in SAM, and acknowledge any amendments
- Before award, give the Contracting Officer proof of general liability insurance with no asbestos exclusion
You must have
- Certified service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB), listed in the SBA certification database at the time of offer and at award; verified in SBA DSBS at submission per the notice text.
This procurement is a total SDVOSB set-aside. Offerors must
- Offers from firms that are not certified SDVOSBs in the SBA database at the time of offer will not be considered.
Offers received from entities that are not certified SDVOSBs and listed in the SBA certification database at the time of offer
- Small under NAICS 238210, with a size standard shown as $19 Million.
- All contractor technicians must be NETA-certified (or equivalent) with OSHA 10-Hour training; the superintendent needs OSHA 30-Hour.
All contractor employees shall be certified by the International Electrical Testing Association (NETA) or equivalent certifying organization as Certified Technicians
- At least 5 continuous years of experience testing electrical power distribution systems in healthcare, industrial, educational and commercial facilities, including low and medium voltage switchgear.
for a minimum of five (5) continuous years
- Technicians must be NFPA 70E Qualified Persons with electrical safety training; certificates go to the Contracting Officer before work starts.
- Current calibration documentation for all instruments, test equipment, tools and PPE before work begins.
Prior to initiating work, Contractor shall provide documentation that all instruments, test equipment, tools, and PPE have current calibration.
- Insurance: general liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence, automobile liability, workers' compensation and employer's liability of at least $100,000; general liability cannot have an asbestos exclusion.
evidence of general liability insurance without any exclusionary clauses for asbestos
- Comply with limitations on subcontracting: the certificate is checked for special trade construction, so no more than 75% of the amount paid may go to firms that are not certified SDVOSBs.
The Government will not consider offers for award from offerors that do not provide the certification
- Hold all licenses and certifications required by local, state and federal authorities, and be registered in SAM.
Not in the notice text
- Exact number and size of breakers, feeders, transformers and switches to price; the floor plan and wage determination files could not be read and the one-line diagrams are only partly readable
- Contract value or budget
- Actual start date and whether the VA's suggested testing schedule is fixed
- Whether a site visit or pre-bid questions period is offered
- Which limitations-on-subcontracting percentage (50% or 75%) governs
- Wage determination 2015-5595 for Washoe County rates, which are in a scanned file; the solicitation lists indicative rates of about $33.69 for an electrician (wage plus fringe) but says they are for information only
- Whether SAM.gov's 'no set-aside' entry or the SDVOSB set-aside in the attachment is correct for your business
Is this a fit for your business?
Create a free accountFedReady checks notices like this against your business profile, tracks deadlines, and alerts you to new matches. Creating an account is free.
Key facts
- Response due
- Nov 9, 2026, 8:00 PM UTC
- Posted
- Oct 9, 2026
- Notice type
- Solicitation
- Solicitation
- 36C26127Q0067
- Agency
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Office
- 261-Network Contract Office 21 (36C261)
- NAICS
- 238210
- Product/service code
- J061
- Business type
- Construction & renovation
- Contracting contact
- Alex D Arteralex.arter@va.gov
- Versions
- 3 (amended since first posted)
What similar contracts paid
176 contracts at this agency for the same NAICS and product/service codes had activity in the last 5 years, according to USAspending.gov. Small businesses won 91% of the dollars in this market over the last 3 fiscal years.
Typical contract$95.1KMiddle half: $23.7K to $311K
Typical per year$116KValue divided by years of performance
Before you respond
Full notice text from SAM.gov
See attachements
Similar open opportunities
- Local Area Network (LAN) Cable Installation & RepairTobyhanna Army Depot in Pennsylvania wants a small business to install, repair and maintain its Local Area Network cabling (copper Ethernet drops and fiber) and to slowly remove…
- Installation of Walkway LightsThe Interior Business Center, on behalf of the National Park Service, wants an electrical contractor to install 30 government-supplied replacement walkway lights at the Iwo Jima…
- Air Compressor RelocationThe Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in Washington, DC wants a contractor to move two air compressors from inside Building 65 to a new metal shed outside, including new slab,…
- CLWTP FISMA ComplianceThe Bureau of Reclamation (Upper Colorado Region) wants a contractor to bring the Cutter Lateral Water Treatment Plant control system (SCADA) up to current federal cybersecurity…
- CLWTP FISMA ComplianceThe Bureau of Reclamation (Upper Colorado Region) wants a contractor to bring the control system at the Cutter Lateral Water Treatment Plant in New Mexico (part of the…