THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, QUOTATIONS OR BIDS. THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), seeks to determine the availability and adequacy of potential sources to support acquisition of the requirements stipulated below. All qualified concerns may submit capability statements for consideration. All small businesses to include Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business, Certified 8(a), Indian Small Business Economic Enterprise (ISBEE), Certified HUB Zone, Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB), Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Businesses (EDWOSB) and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned (SDVOSB) are strongly encouraged to provide timely response to this announcement. A response to this announcement is necessary in order to assist Reclamation in determining the potential levels of interest, adequate competition, and the technical capability to provide the required services. The capability statements will be used to determine appropriate procurement strategy; in particular, whether a set-aside is warranted. Capability statements received may also be reviewed to determine the technical, administrative, management, and financial capability of such offerors to perform this type of work.
Because this sources sought is for informational/market research purposes only, the Government will not pay for any material provided in response to this market survey nor return the data provided. This notice is not a request to be placed on a solicitation mailing list nor is it a Request for Proposal (RFP) or an announcement of a solicitation.
Reclamation is seeking potential sources for an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to perform underwater inspection services. The services are in support of Reclamation¿s mission to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmental and economically sound manner in the interest of the America public.
The anticipated period of performance for the IDIQ is a five (5) year ordering period.
The services are required at various locations throughout the Western United States with reservoir elevations up to 10,000 feet above sea level. The inspections are located across the 17 western states and often in remote locations. The data collection will occur in a variety of underwater conditions, including but not limited to, flow, turbidity, depth, and temperature.
The description of anticipated work is as follows:
SCOPE
The contractor shall provide personnel to perform inaccessible features reviews and examinations of underwater portions of structures and facilities at various Reclamation dams, bridges, stilling basins, water control structures, water conveyance structures, and water conveyance infrastructure. Principal components of the work include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Underwater inspection of intake structures, outlet structures and stilling basins at reclamation facilities.
2. Underwater inspection of bridges.
3. Underwater inspection of other water conveyance structures.
4. Report writing documenting these inspections IAW FAC 01-07 or FAC 07-01 as applicable.
PROJECT CONDITIONS
A. Inaccessible Feature Inspections may be performed at any USBR High Hazard Dam, bridge, or water convenance structure with underwater elements under USBR jurisdiction. Generally, the Western United States. Sites may be remote with limited cellphone access. Inspections may be conducted at elevations up to 10,000 feet above sea level.
B. Inaccessible feature inspections are generally conducted during outage season between September and April. Depending on location divers will be exposed to water temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Proper exposure protection is required.
C. Access to inspection sights may require the use of boats or access down steep slopes covered in riprap or other bank protection. SPRAT or IRATA rope access experience may be helpful with inspection access.
D. On site work will typically be completed between 6:30 AM and 5:00 PM Monday to Thursday. Work outside these hours may be coordinated with the COR and plant personnel.
Key Personnel
The following, but not limited to key personnel will be required to perform the work,
Project Manager: The Contractor shall appoint a Project Manager to serve as a single point of contact and liaison between the Contractor and the Contracting Officer or representative (Technical Manager) for all work required under this requirement. Upon award, the Contractor shall immediately provide the Contracting Officer with the name of the individual so designated in writing. The Contractor's Project Manager will be responsible for the complete coordination of all work developed under the requirement. The Project Manager will also provide a list of all Sub-Contracts with all the applicable licensing, insurance, and qualifications.
Technical Workforce: The Contractor shall provide information and maintain a record of the qualifications, including relevant education, training, certifications, insurance, and State licensure, for all Contractor (including any Subcontractor) workforce engaged in responsible charge of any technical aspect of task orders under this requirement, including `but not limited to emergency response and regular support and services, to the extent appropriate to the specific activities required for the task order.
Inspection Team Leader: The contractor shall provide a qualified team leader to perform the inaccessible feature inspection. The team leader is the person on-site who oversees the inspection team. This person is responsible for reviewing previous reports, inspection planning, preparing, performing, and reporting to include coordinating the field work. The team leader is responsible for evaluating the deficiencies, quality checking of the inspection data, and making sure that the inspection reports are complete, accurate, and legible. The team leader should also conduct safety briefings as needed. The team leader should be able to provide recommendations for the repair of defective items and must initiate appropriate actions when critical findings are discovered.
1. A team leader must be a knowledge of principles related to O&M and safety of a dam.
2. Experienced in the inspection of dams.
3. Reviewed RO&M Field Examination Guidelines.
4. If the feature to be inspected is a bridge the team leader will additionally need to be a nationally certified bridge inspection team lead IAW NBIS requirements.
Field Inspectors: The contractor shall provide field inspectors as required to assist the Inspection Team leader. Some duties of the field inspector include carrying inspection equipment, filling out inspection forms, taking photographs, and making sketches. Ideally, the field inspectors would have an engineering background with education, training, and experience within their respective fields of practice.
1. Field inspectors/divers are required to be a commercial diver IAW 29 CFR 1910 Subpart T (Commercial Diving Operations, https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910SubpartT)
2. If the feature to be inspected is a bridge the field inspector is to have completed National Highway Institute Underwater Bridge Inspector course.
Bridge Program Manager: The contractor shall provide an individual with the qualifications of a Bridge Program Manager that approves all bridge inspection reports.
The Bridge Program Manager will have successfully completed an FHWA-approved comprehensive bridge inspection training course, and an inspection refresher course within each 60-month period thereafter, and meet or possess one of the following qualifications:
a. be a registered professional engineer, or
b. have 10 years of bridge inspection experience
Interested parties should provide a description of:
1. Provide a statement of qualifications to include experience relative to this procurement, or any other information that clearly demonstrates your capabilities, expertise and experience to perform the requirements.
2. Include any prior experience performing inaccessible features reviews and examinations of underwater portions of structures and facilities at dams, bridges, stilling basins, water control structures, water conveyance structures, and water conveyance infrastructure.
3. Include any prior experience performing work at Reclamation facilities.
4. Prior experience for inaccessible feature reviews utilizing Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) for inspections
Interested parties should also include the following information in their response:
- Business name, address, cage code, size classification based on NAICS size standard, socioeconomic classification (i.e. SDVOSB, Small Disadvantaged Business, ED/WOSB, HUBZone and/or 8(a))
- Point of contact including name, title, phone number, and email address
All interested parties are encouraged to respond to this sources sought with all requested information via e-mail to vrodriguez@usbr.gov no later than Thursday, June 26, 2025 at 10:00 am, PST.
The information provided in this sources sought is the only information the Government has available at this time. Questions concerning the sources sought should be directed vrodriguez@usbr.gov.
System for Award Management (SAM), as required by FAR 4.1102, will apply to any resulting procurement. Prospective contractors must be registered in SAM at the time an offer or quotation is submitted. Lack of registration in the SAM database may make an offeror ineligible for award. Information on SAM registration can be obtained at the following web address: https://www.sam.gov.
