SPECIAL NOTICE
Y -- Government Soliciting Comments on the Potential Use of Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) for Corpus Christi Ship Channel Dredging Project
- Notice Date
- 2/28/2018
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 237990
— Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, USACE District, Fort Worth, Attn: CESWF-CT, PO Box 17300, Fort Worth, Texas, 76102-0300, United States
- ZIP Code
- 76102-0300
- Solicitation Number
- W9126G-18-PLA-0014
- Archive Date
- 3/28/2018
- Point of Contact
- Lucille R. Smith, Phone: 4097663845, Maria E. Rodriguez, Phone: 4097666331
- E-Mail Address
-
lucille.r.smith@usace.army.mil, maria.e.rodriguez@usace.army.mil
(lucille.r.smith@usace.army.mil, maria.e.rodriguez@usace.army.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The Corps of Engineers Galveston 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/dredging project: Corpus Christi Ship Channel, Texas, Channel Improvement Project, Entrance Channel Extension in Nueces and San Patricio Counties, Texas, Dredging. Project Description: The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Galveston District plans to solicit offers for the Corpus Christi Ship Channel, Texas, Channel Improvement Project, Entrance Channel Extension in Nueces and San Patricio Counties, Texas, Dredging. Type of Dredge: Deep Draft Pipeline and/or Hopper. The work consists of Schedule No. 1 - The Corpus Christi Ship Channel, Texas Channel Improvement Project Entrance Channel Extension is contract that combines maintenance and new work dredging starting at station 70+00, just bay side of the Port Aransas Ferry Landing to -330+00, some 7.6 miles into the Gulf of Mexico. The contract involves the complete clean out (maintenance material) of the existing channel (47/49 feet Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW)) template and the deepening (new work) of the new channel (54/56 feet MLLW) template. The volume of maintenance material is estimated to be approximately 844,042 CYs. All maintenance material from the existing project template will be dredged and discharged into Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site ODMDS Placement Area 1. The construction of the new channel (authorized depth and advanced maintenance) is estimated to generate approx. 4,458,250 CYs, with allowable over depth estimated at approx. 986,647 CYs of new material. Approximately 2.6 million CYs of new work material will be placed into ODMDS Navy Homeport and the estimated 2.8 million CYs will be placed in Beneficial Use Site MN. NOTE: Performance period restrictions apply for the use of Hopper Dredges for dredging of new work material (does not apply to maintenance material) from November 15th to April 15th due to (National Marine Fisheries Service's Biological Opinion on the Corpus Christi Ship Channel Improvement Project). All Dredges utilized, Pipeline, Hopper, or mechanical proposed for use to beyond the COLREGS Demarcation Lines must follow all applicable Laws and Regulations including but not limited to 33 CFR 81.18. Range of Magnitude: Between $25,000,000 and $50,000,000. Period of Performance: Approximately 365 calendar days after Notice to Proceed. Notice to Proceed is anticipated to occur in July 2018. Some of the factors that may be considered regarding their use are: a. The involvement of multiple contractors and/or subcontractors working in the same channel. b. The complexity of the project. c. The ability of the contractor to pump material six and a half miles from dredging cut to placement area. d. The ability to coordinate with U.S. Coast Guard Vessel Traffic Service, Pilots, and shipping industry. e. Shortage of skilled labor in the region. f. The use of PLA's on other comparable projects. g. The promotion of the Governments long term programs interests such as training of skilled workforce for future projects. h. The possibility of labor disputes that threaten timely completion. i. Additional costs from use of PLAs may be cost prohibitive. PLA Definition: 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: 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/dredging projects. An agency may, if appropriate, require that every contractor and subcontractor engaged in construction/dredging 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 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 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/dredging community is invited to comment on the use of PLAs. Of particular interest to the Government are responses to the following questions: a. Should PLAs be executed on selected large dollar contracts within the above referenced location? What other factors should the Corps consider before deciding to include PLA provisions in a Galveston District contract? What type of project should or should not be considered for PLA? b. Is the use of PLAs effective in achieving economy and efficiency in Federal procurement? What is the estimated relative cost impact, or any other economies or efficiencies derived by the Federal Government, if using PLAs? Will a PLA impact the cost of submitting an offer? c. Is the use of PLAs effective in producing labor-management stability? Have labor disputes or other labor issues contributed to project delays in the local area? d. Is the use of PLAs conducive to ensuring compliance with laws and regulations governing safety and health, equal employment opportunity, labor and employment standards, and other relevant matters? 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. Projects will require multiple construction/dredging contractors and/or subcontractors employing workers in multiple marine crafts or trades. Do you foresee any work on projects 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/dredging labor? Information may reference current apprenticeship statistics and workforce age demographics. g. Completion of anticipated projects will require an extensive performance periods. Will a PLA impact the completion time? What is the anticipated volatility in the labor market for the marine trades required for the execution of the project? 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 responses to these questions and any comments via e-mail to Lucille R. Smith, Contract Specialist at lucille.r.smith@usace.army.mil no later than 4:00 PM (CST) on 13 March 2018. 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 survey.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USA/COE/DACA63/W9126G-18-PLA-0014/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Nueces and San Patricio Counties, Texas, United States
- Record
- SN04838105-W 20180302/180228231433-678b918bb57c543db363b213bbfb6008 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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