Robins RAPID Construction OTA Progressive Design Build Fiber Replacement

FA8501-27-RAPID-CIRCUIT F1-170129-OTA

Under the RAPID Umbrella Framework: RAPID Progressive Design-Build to Replace Circuit F-01 from Fowler Substation UHHZ170129

Description

The Department of the Air Force, 78th Civil Engineer Group, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is issuing this Special Notice under the Robins Agile Practices for Infrastructure Development (RAPID) umbrella framework and pursuant to 10 U.S.C. § 2808a.

The Government seeks industry Solution Briefs for an anticipated Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) to Replace Circuit F-01 from Fowler Substation at Robins AFB, GA. The requirement includes replacement of all 15kV, 500MCM cable throughout circuit F-01. This will include replacement and removal all broken breakers or bad cable racks, install new bell ends on conduits, and pump water/dirt from manholes.

This Special Notice is not an invitation for bids, a request for proposals under the Federal Acquisition Regulation, nor a commitment by the Government to make an award. Any resulting instrument will be an OTA for facility construction and repair under 10 U.S.C. § 2808a.

Purpose

The purpose of this Area of Interest is to obtain commercially viable, safe, and schedule-credible solutions to design plans for and to perform the replacement of expired high-risk Circuit F01 cabling in order to prevent operational risk, mission delays, and compounding economic costs due to infrastructure failure at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia.

The Government requires an integrated approach to address the design, removal of deteriorated cables and replacement with new cable in The Fowler Substation. The selected approach must provide a practical path to execute the work while minimizing disruption to aircraft operations and controlling construction, safety, environmental, and schedule risks.

Project Background and Existing Conditions

Circuit F-01 has surpassed its operational lifecycle, creating a high-probability risk for catastrophic failure. If the remaining aged portion is not replaced, the installation faces risk of emergency repair premiums and disruption to sustaining airfield infrastructure, supporting safe aircraft movement, installation readiness, and continued mission operations.

The work area is slightly congested and impacted by various airfield operations. The Fowler Substation Circuit F-01 will remain in full operation during the entire duration of the project by back feeding with circuit ties.

Project Areas

1. Phase 1 (Preconstruction & Collaborative Design): Collaborative design development stakeholders to achieve 65%, site surveys, risk mitigation planning, schedule and establishment of an open-book Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) IAW with all other aspects of the SOO.   
2. Phase 2 (Final Design & Construction Execution)

Completion of final design and full construction execution (exercised upon agreement). Safely construct the facility/project within the agreed GMP and schedule. Assume hazardous materials exist. Address requirements for worker notification, abatement, and disposal. Employ a safety and health professional to provide a HASP per DoDI 6055.01. Comply with Robins Environmental Requirements (Section 01560) submitting Waste Management Report/Landfill Waste Tickets, Solid Waste Disposal Plan, and Qualified Recycling Program (QRP). Appropriately coordinate Stormwater & Erosion Control. Structure execution to allow for payable milestones payments, as well as all other aspects outlined in the SOO.

1. Project-Specific Objectives and Phasing

Replace all 15kV, 500MCM cable throughout the distribution of circuit F-01 in its entirety of
multiple different installation facilities, while remaining in full operation besides outages and removing and replacing all broken breakers or bad cable racks, install new bell ends on conduits, and pump water/dirt from manholes. Address specific phasing to accommodate congested areas.
 

OTA & RAPID Framework Approach

This project is being executed as an Area of Interest (AOI) under the overarching RAPID (Robins Agile Practices for Infrastructure Development) Umbrella Program Notice. In accordance with the RAPID framework, this project utilizes a Progressive Design-Build approach under the standalone statutory authority of 10 U.S.C. § 2808a. The Government will be expecting a 100% completed design package and/or specific phasing and repair requirements followed by the completion of the construction or performance of the designed actions.

Competitive Selection Process

Phase 1 Solution Brief Requirements

The Government reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to determine that a response which does not conform to the requirements or instructions contained in this announcement is ineligible for further consideration.

Interested respondents shall submit a Phase 1 Solution Brief in a clear, concise, and organized manner in accordance with this announcement. To facilitate an efficient review, responses shall be prepared in accordance with the instructions and formatting requirements contained in this announcement.

Failure to comply with these requirements may increase the risk that the response will not be considered for further evaluation. The Government will evaluate them to identify the most highly qualified parties. Submission Requirement should be submitted by 3:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on or before 20 November 2026.

Interested respondents shall submit a Phase 1 Solution Brief consisting of no more than five written pages (5), excluding the cover page.  Email is the official form of submission for responses.   Surety letters may be attached without counting towards 5 page limit.  Page format should be 8.5 x 11.

The Solution Brief shall include:

1. Cover Page
   • Company name
   • UEI
   • Mailing address
   • Primary point of contact
   • Email address and telephone number
   • Identification of this RAPID AOI

1. Executive Summary, Team Composition, and Organization 

• Summary of the respondent’s qualifications and anticipated delivery capability
• Explanation of why the team is qualified for the anticipated requirement
• The team’s understanding of the Robins Air Force Base operational environment
• The team’s experience working in occupied facilities, congested site logistics, complex mechanical/electrical system integrations, and adherence to stringent environmental and safety standards. (e.g., hazardous material abatement, and experience with Department of War/Air Force Standards).
• The team’s proposed approach to Phase 1 collaboration and risk reduction
• Identification of any material capability, staffing, access, bonding, or teaming assumptions.

1. Past Relevant Construction Capability and Experience 

• Minimum Requirement: The Company must demonstrate a minimum of five (5) years of experience successfully executing construction projects of comparable size, scope, and complexity.
• Focus: Historical performance in occupied facilities, managing congested site logistics, complex mechanical/electrical system integrations, adhering to environmental and safety standards.(e.g., hazardous material abatement, and experience with Department of Defense/Air Force Standards).  Note that while DoD experience is considered, it will not be a deciding factor in determining a firm more qualified.

1. Financial Capacity and Bonding

• A statement of financial capacity to perform the anticipated work
• Current single-project and aggregate bonding capacity, if bonds are anticipated;
• Name of surety
• Any other information necessary to demonstrate capacity to perform the anticipated project.

1. Construction Execution and Phasing Approach

• Methodology for physical work execution
• Utility outage coordination

Evaluation & Selection Criteria

The Government will utilize a two-step, Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) process mapped to the RAPID framework to select the Design-Builder.  In accordance with PDB methodology, price will not be evaluated during the initial selection process.  Selection is based on qualifications, experience, and collaborative capabilities.   

Step 1: RAPID Phase 1 Equivalent

Evaluation of written Solution Brief to establish a short-list of the most highly qualified firms. Price is not evaluated in Step 1.

Step 2: RAPID Phases 2 Equivalent

Interactive Pitch Presentations/Interviews and evaluation of the Phase 1 PDB Price Proposal (short-listed teams only) to determine the final best-value selection.    

Step 1: Statement of Qualifications Evaluation Factors

Factor 1: Past Relevant Experience

• Minimum Requirement: The Design-Builder (and/or key teaming partner) must demonstrate a minimum of five (5) years of experience successfully executing construction projects of comparable size, scope, and complexity.
• Focus: Historical performance in occupied facilities, managing congested site logistics,  complex mechanical/electrical system integrations, and adherence to stringent environmental and safety standards (e.g., hazardous materials abatement, and experience with Department of War/Air Force Standards).  Note:  while  DoW experience is considered, it will not be a deciding factor in determining a firm more qualified.

Factor 2: Team Composition and Organization

• Focus: The government will evaluate the proposed organization structure, the integration of design and construction personnel from project inception, and the qualifications of Key Personnel. This includes assessing the proposed site superintendent/project managers ability to oversee operations and coordinate with the Government daily.

Factor 3: Project Approach and Understanding

• Focus: The Government will assess the firm’s understanding of the PDB OTA process and their proposed approach to executing Phase 1 (Design and Preconstruction) and Phase 2 (Final Design & Construction).  This includes the firm’s strategy for open-book estimating, schedule development, and manage site-specific constraints at Robins AFB (e.g. restricted area access, flightline requirements, and utility outage coordination).

Step 2: Pitch Presentation and Price Evaluation (Final Down-Select)

The Government may invite selected respondents to participate in an oral presentation or pitch. Phase 2 may assess the respondent’s technical approach, constructability, airfield-operational integration, phasing, site logistics, safety, environmental approach, risk management, collaboration capability, and preliminary schedule approach. Specific instructions will be provided with invitation to the pitch day. 

Factor 1: Collaborative Capability and Cultural Fit

• Focus: Ability to work in a transparent, “open-book” partnership with the 78 CEG Project Delivery Team (PDT) and Base stakeholders.

Factor 2: Real-Time Problem-Solving and Risk Management

• Focus: Capacity to identify, analyze, and mitigate complex project risks.  Evaluated based on response to real-time scenarios presented during the Q&A.

Factor 3: Innovative Design-Build Solutions

• Focus: Creative, value-driven, and cost effective courses of action (COAs) proposed to meet the Government’s mission objectives.

Factor 4: Financial Capacity and Bonding

• Focus: Demonstrated financial capacity to support the anticipated project magnitude and, if required by the final OTA, sufficient bonding capacity.
• Focus: The estimated magnitude of construction associated with this Area of Interest (AOI) is $5M to $10M. This range is provided for planning purposes only and does not constitute an explicit funding guarantee or disclose the Independent Government Estimate. This range is provided to assist interested offerors in determining the necessary single-project and aggregate bonding capacity required to support the subsequent construction agreement.

Final Selection and Award

Upon concluding presentations, the evaluation team will select the single most highly qualified Design-Builder.  The Government will invite the selection firm to negotiate terms, Scope of Services, and a design/preconstruction fee for the Phase 1 OTA Agreement.  

The Government will address the applicability of Davis-Bacon, prevailing-wage, and other labor requirements during the Pitch phase or before award; any requirements determined applicable will be incorporated into the resulting OTA.

Government Reservations

The Government reserves the right to:

• Invite, not invite, or limit respondents advancing to later phases;
• Conduct technical exchanges;
• Request clarifications or supplemental information;
• Negotiate with one or more respondents;
• Modify, suspend, or cancel this Special Notice;
• Issue additional notices or requests; and
• Make no award.

Attachments

1. UHHZ170129 - 01005 - SOO - PDB with OTHER TRANSACTIONAL AUTHORITY
2. F1 Binder
3. UHHZ170129 REV 22-02 base power grid F1
4. REV 22-02 base power grid 0111
5. REV 22-02 base power grid-Model F1 compact

Send all submissions to: angela.whitley@us.af.mil and kristen.denlinger@us.af.mil

Notice of Expanded Opportunity, Follow-On Awards, and Multi-Base Utilization;

While the immediate requirement under this AOI is to Replace Circuit F-01 from Fowler Substation at Robins AFB, GA, offerors are advised that participation and successful evaluations under this AOI may provide significant strategic opportunities beyond the initial project.