Request for Information/Sources Sought Notice for Providers of
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing (MEP) Architectural & Engineering (AE) IDIQ
Notice ID: AMD-SSN-26-0007
Contract Opportunity Type:
Sources Sought
Response Date: 12:00 PM EST February 18, 2026
Product Service Code:
C211 - ARCHITECT AND ENGINEERING- GENERAL: LANDSCAPING, INTERIOR LAYOUT, AND DESIGNING
NAICS Code:
541330 – Engineering Services
Background:
This is a notice to request information from industry to help the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) determine the availability and capability of small businesses and other than small businesses to provide MEP Architectural Design Services for various Research and Development (R&D) buildings at its Gaithersburg, Maryland campus.
This notice is strictly to request information for market research purposes to help NIST determine the appropriate acquisition strategy for this requirement. This notice shall not be construed as a solicitation, obligation, or commitment by NIST.
Overview:
NIST is seeking capability statements from interested Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business, Certified HUBZone, Woman-Owned, and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned. Businesses other than small business are encouraged to provide a response. See attached draft Statement of Work (SOW).
A&E Services performed for NIST generally include, but are not limited to, planning, evaluation, design and engineering services for the maintenance, modification, and improvement of specialized facility mechanical and electrical systems, post construction award services, construction management services.
Most R&D buildings are technically sophisticated laboratory facilities with specialized environmental and utility systems required for research and experimental activities. Laboratory facilities typically utilize specialized controls such as uninterrupted power, compressed gas systems, clean-room technologies, and tight-tolerance air temperature control systems for the conduct of research and experimental studies.
Utilities are distributed to the individual buildings by underground pipe and electrical distribution systems from central plant services owned and operated by NIST. NIST campus facilities provide chilled water, steam, and compressed air from a centralized utility generation plant located on the campus. Commercial high-voltage electricity is received at a main sub-station and distributed radially by multiple facility spot networks. Laboratory facilities typically utilize specialized services such as uninterrupted power, compressed gas systems, clean-room technologies, and tight-tolerance control systems for conducting research.
Existing buildings are 3-60 years old and generally steel superstructure with block and brick wall construction. Several facilities have specialized layouts with below grade concrete sub-basements and/or combination window/panelized storefront façade. Facility interior and exterior rehabilitation and renovations are continuous as buildings and systems age, or scientific projects require new layouts to accommodate on-going research.
Location:
Location of the firm must be within the general geographical area of NIST, Gaithersburg, Maryland campus, which is considered 50 miles as defined by a nationally recognized on-line mapping program.
Type of Work: Potential work that may occur include, but is not limited to, field investigation, surveying, and document preparation, shop drawings and submittal review/approval, construction inspections, construction RFIs analysis, participate in HVAC equipment commissioning, bid evaluations. Documentation may include, but is not limited to, engineering studies, conceptual design, survey reports, construction inspection reports, punch list of incomplete construction items, RFI responses, as-built record drawings in AutoCAD and pdf formats, bridging documents, full contract drawings and specifications (including performance of requirements for design-build), design calculations, cost estimates and project schedules as defined by each Statement of Work.
Anticipated Award:
NIST intends to award up to three offerors to provide mechanical/electrical AE services for a maximum total contract value not to exceed $9,800,000.
Anticipated Period of Performance:
NIST intends to conduct a competitive acquisition that consists of One (1) Base Year and Four (4) - 1 year Ordering Periods.
Information Requested from Industry Sources:
NIST invites industry sources to review this notice carefully and to familiarize themselves with the information provided in the overview and required experience section of this document. Thereafter, by the closing date of this notice, NIST encourages those sources to submit responses to sasha.bradford@nist.gov. Do not include proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information in response to this notice.
Responses should be submitted to contain the following, in Microsoft Word format or in .pdf format, use 12-point font, with a page limitation of twelve (12) pages (excluding cover page):
1. Cover page, including:
- Sources Sought Notice number, title, and date of issuance
- Unique Entity ID
- Company name
- Company address
- Including driving distance from NIST as defined by internet mapping
- Company website address
- Company point of contact and their phone number and email address
- Validation of company size status under NAICS: 236220 - Commercial and Institutional Building Construction, including Small Business
- Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB)
- Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB)
- HUBZone
- Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB)
- Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
- 8(a)
- Other
See table of business size standards at https://www.sba.gov/document/support-table-size-standards for more information.
- Indicate whether your company has an active registration for procurement purposes in sam.gov.
- Bonding capacity (Project & Aggregate)
2. Contracting Role: Please specify whether your firm intends to participate as a prime contractor or a subcontractor.
3. Provide any suggestions for NIST to consider for the draft SOW, with the goal of improving the draft SOW in a way that makes it clearer and as competitive as possible.
4. Provide any suggested evaluation factors for award that your company believes would be meaningful for NIST to consider using for the forthcoming competitive acquisition.
5. Required Experience (within the past 60 months):
Demonstrated capability in project design (civil and structural engineering services are included), with three (3) relevant examples of projects that had a value exceeding $75,000, including, but not limited to:
A. Renovations of laboratories (minimum of 2,000 SF) which includes all the following:
- Replacement or new installation of a ducted-exhaust, chemical fume hood
- New laboratory grade casework,
- Plumbing for laboratory services.
B. Renovations, alterations, and/or upgrades to mechanical, plumbing and/or electrical systems for a laboratory building which include:
- Central air-handling unit, using hydronic or steam utilities for heating and cooling (minimum 5000 cfm capacity)
- Electrical systems supporting specialized scientific tools, equipment and instrumentation. Note amperage, phases, and voltages in offer.
- Specialty plumbing systems supporting specialized laboratory tools, equipment, and instrumentation. Systems can include, but are not limited to, gases such as nitrogen, helium, compressed air; pure water; vacuum; secondary cooling.
C. Life safety and code compliance which include:
- IBC and NFPA analyses
- Access and egress analysis,
- Fire alarm systems and device designs, and
- NFPA 13 fire suppression system modification calculations and new installations.
- Hazardous detection systems (radiological or toxic gas monitoring systems). Note which detection system is being referenced.
6. Technical Capabilities: Describe the professional qualifications of your firm by providing the number and qualifications of registered professional personnel to perform the key disciplines noted under the “Required Experience” section.
7. Subcontracting Compliance: If your company is a small business for the NAICS code included in this notice, indicate whether your company can comply with FAR clause 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting (OCT 2022), if this acquisition were to be conducted as a total small business set-aside and provide supporting explanation. See https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-52#FAR_52_219_14 for the full text of this clause.
8. Existing Contract Vehicles: Indicate whether your company has a GSA Multiple Award Schedule contract or other federal contract under which NIST would be authorized to place an order., if so, provide a copy of that contract (including contract number, name and contact information for contracting officer, contract SOW, contract terms and conditions and contract prices).
NIST reserves the right to follow up on a one-on-one basis with respondents to request additional information or clarifications about information submitted.
Teaming Arrangements:
Firms seeking to respond to this notice as part of a team must include the above-requested information for each entity.
Disclaimer:
Industry sources must provide information in response to this notice voluntarily, and for fully authorized use without limitation by NIST. This notice does not obligate NIST to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. NIST reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed. Information provided will be used to help NIST assess alternatives available for a potential requirement and may lead to the development of a solicitation. Respondents are advised that NIST is under no obligation to provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received and other market research, NIST may publish a solicitation on sam.gov depending on the approved or decided upon acquisition strategy. Responses received after the closing date for this notice will not be considered for market research purposes.
