SOURCES SOUGHT
Y -- Project Labor Agreement for Millennium Construction Project, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA
- Notice Date
- 10/3/2012
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 236220
— Commercial and Institutional Building Construction
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, USACE District, Norfolk, 803 Front Street, Norfolk, Virginia, 23510-1096, United States
- ZIP Code
- 23510-1096
- Solicitation Number
- W91236-13-PLA-0001
- Point of Contact
- Debora S Gray, Phone: 757-201-7551
- E-Mail Address
-
debora.s.gray@usace.army.mil
(debora.s.gray@usace.army.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The Corps of Engineers Norfolk District is soliciting comments from the construction community addressing the potential use of a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) for the following large scale (exceeding $25 million) construction project: Millennium Construction Project, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA Project Description: This project will develop approximately 30 acres of land to increase burial space at Arlington National Cemetery. This site is on the northwest portion of the Cemetery adjacent to Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. Construction includes casket burial sections, in-ground cre-mains sites and both columbarium niche courts and niche walls. The site will include assembly areas for service participants including Committal Service Shelters. Building and site element construction shall be suitable for the environment and compliment the architectural theme and considerations of the National Cemetery at Arlington, a National Shrine. Expansion improvements will include approximately 20,000 pre-set crypts for in-ground burial, columbarium niche sites and in-ground cre-mains sites, an ornamental and security perimeter fence, retaining walls, a bridge over an existing stream, water fountain features, extensive landscaping, and vehicle and pedestrian access roads and walks. Supporting facilities include water, sanitary sewer, storm drainage, and underground electrical and communications/information systems, stream restoration, and security considerations and systems. Demolition and preparation of the site will require removal of existing site features and pavements, select removal of trees and vegetation as well as protection of natural site features and select trees. Special foundations will be required to address the varying soil conditions on the site. Anti-terrorism/force protection measures shall be included to the extent required and all constructions shall comply with ADA requirements and considerations. Range of Magnitude: Between $60,000,000.00 and $80,000,000.00. Period of Performance: approximately 900 calendar days after Notice to Proceed. Notice to Proceed is anticipated to occur between October 2013 and November 2013 Some of the factors that may be considered regarding PLA use are: a. The involvement of multiple contractors and/or subcontractors working in multiple crafts or trades. b. The complexity of the project. c. Shortage of skilled labor in the region. d. Completion of the project will require an extended period of time. e. The use of PLA's on other comparable projects in this geographic area. f. The promotion of the Governments long term programs interests such as training of skilled workforce for future projects. g. The possibility of labor disputes that threaten timely completion. h. Additional costs from use of PLAs may be cost prohibitive. A PLA is defined as a pre-hire collective bargaining agreement with one or more labor organizations that establishes the terms and conditions of employment for a specific construction project and is an agreement described in 29 U.S.C. 158(f). Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Policy: a. Project Labor Agreement (PLA) is a tool that agencies may use to promote economy and efficiency in Federal procurement. Pursuant to Executive Order 13502, agencies are encouraged to consider requiring the use of project labor agreements in connection with large-scale construction projects. b. An agency may, if appropriate, require that every contractor and subcontractor engaged in construction on the project agree, for that project, to negotiate or become a party to a project labor agreement with one or more labor organizations if the agency decides that the use of project labor agreements will 1. Advance the Federal Governments interest in achieving economy and efficiency in Federal procurement, producing labor-management stability, and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations governing safety and health, equal employment opportunity, labor and employment standards, and other matters; and 2. Be consistent with law. Reference: Provision: 52.222-33 Notice of Requirement for Project Labor Agreement Clause 52.222-34 Project Labor Agreement. In consideration of the above factors, and any others which may be deemed appropriate, the construction community is invited to comment on the use of PLAs. Of particular interest to the Government are responses to the following questions: a. Should a PLA be executed on the above described Millennium Construction project at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA? What benefits do you believe a PLA could achieve? What other factors should the Corps consider before deciding to include PLA provisions for the Millennium Construction project? b. Will the use of a PLA be effective in achieving economy and efficiency? If so, how? What is the estimated relative cost impact, or any other economies or efficiencies derived by the Federal Government, if using a PLA? Will a PLA impact the cost of submitting an offer? c. Are there any concerns regarding labor-management stability related to this project? Will the use of a PLA produce labor-management stability on this project? Have labor disputes or other labor issues contributed to project delays in the local area? Are you aware of examples of labor-management conflicts in the area which could impact the efficiency of this project, which a PLA could positively impact/resolve? d. Will use of a PLA be conducive to ensuring compliance with laws and regulations governing safety and health, equal employment opportunity, labor and employment standards, and other relevant matters on this project? Are there instances where these standards have not been met on Federal contracts in the local area? Were PLAs used for those specific contracts? e. This project will require construction contractors and/or subcontractors employing workers in multiple crafts or trades. Do you foresee any work on this project that may result in both the prime contractor and at least one subcontractor, or two or more subcontractors, employing the same trade? f. Are there concerns by prime contractors on the availability of skilled construction labor? Are there large scale construction projects in the area (over $25M, within 50 miles of Arlington, VA) which could impact availability of skilled labor for this project? What is the anticipated volatility in the labor market for the trades required for the execution of the project? g. Is the proposed schedule/completion time one which would benefit from a PLA - if so, how? Will a PLA impact the completion time? Would a PLA benefit a project which contains a unique and compelling mission-critical schedule? h. Where have PLAs been used on comparable projects undertaken by Federal, State, municipal, or private entities in the geographic area of this project? i. Will the use of PLAs impact the ability of potential Offerors and subcontractors to meet small-business utilization goals? Please provide your comments via e-mail to Debora Gray, Contract Specialist at Debora.s.gray@usace.army.mil no later than 2:00PM on 18 October 2012. This is NOT a Request for Proposal and does not constitute any commitment by the Government. Responses to this labor market survey will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. All interested sources must respond to future solicitation announcements separately from responses to this market survey.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USA/COE/DACA65/W91236-13-PLA-0001/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, United States
- Record
- SN02908121-W 20121005/121003235039-11feeaafd60f139e14ad14f28c529f3a (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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