178th Wing Base Microgrid Construction

Presolicitation Notice: 

Invitation for Bids (IFB) opportunity - Small Business Set Aside  

NAICS Code: 237130 - Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction. 

The Ohio Air National Guard intends to issue an Invitation for Bids to award a single firm fixed-price contract for services, non-personal, to provide all plant, labor, transportation, materials, tools, equipment, appliances and supervision necessary for the construction of a base wide microgrid.  

Description: The 178th Civil Engineer Squadron, located at Springfield-Beckley Air National Guard Base, Ohio, has a requirement to construct a base wide microgrid (Project WAAR209001). The project's intent is to provide a fully functioning microgrid that allows the base to operate independently for extended periods in the event of a long-term utility outage, ensuring energy resilience for critical 24/7 operations and mission support. The general scope includes the design, installation, and integration of a PV Solar Array, a Battery Electric Storage System (BESS), two Natural Gas Generators, and all associated controls, switchgear, and infrastructure.  

In accordance with National Guard Bureau (NGB) policy (Rescission of Class Waiver for Non-Commercial Construction, dated 27 April 2026), this requirement is categorized as a Commercial Construction Procurement, but will be solicited and awarded utilizing construction procedures and clauses under RFO/FAR Part 14 (Sealed Bidding). The resulting contract will be a Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) lump-sum contract awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. 

This acquisition is subject to the Buy American Act. All supplies and construction materials must comply with the domestic sourcing restrictions and requirements outlined in RFO/FAR Part 25. 

The official plans and specifications will not be furnished with this presolicitation notice. The formal Invitation for Bid (IFB) and all associated technical data will be made available on or about the Response Date listed in this SAM.gov notice and will be available for download only from the Contract Opportunities page at SAM.gov and/or the PIEE Solicitation Module. Hard copies will not be provided. 

The solicitation and associated information will be available only from the Contract Opportunities page at SAM.gov. All/some documents for this project will be “restricted”. Bidders will have to register and complete a form (DD2345) that requires processing to allow them to get access to secure postings. This process is detailed in the SAM.gov Contract Opportunities Vender Guide and takes about 7 to 15 business days. Interested offerors are highly encouraged to verify their status or apply immediately to avoid delays in accessing the IFB. 

Definitization of equitable adjustments: 
In accordance with RFO/ FAR 36.101-4 and NGB Compliance Alert FY23-001, the following information is provided: 
(1) The National Guard has no agency-specific policies or procedures applicable to the definitization of equitable adjustments for change orders under construction contracts other than those described at RFO/FAR 43.204, DFARS 243.204, and AFARS 5143.204. 
(2) Data for the prior 3 fiscal years regarding the time required to definitize equitable adjustments for change orders under construction contracts for the National Guard is currently not available but will be compiled and provided in future announcements. 

Qualification for offer: There are no specific pre-qualification requirements to submit a bid, however, the Statement of Work (SOW) will require the prime contractor (or their subcontractor) to possess verified experience in power plant or power controls installation. Registration in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) is required prior to award. 

The contract duration will be 450 calendar days after notice to proceed to include inspection and punch list. This project is set aside 100% for Small Businesses. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code 237130 with a small business size standard of $45,000,000. The magnitude of construction is between $5,000,000 and $10,000,000.  

The tentative date for issuing the solicitation is on-or-about 12 June 2026. The tentative date for the site-visit is on-or-about 26 June 2026, at noon ET. Location to be provided in the solicitation. Interested contractors are encouraged to attend and shall follow conference registration and base access requirements shown in the solicitation. 

The bid opening date is tentatively planned for on-or-about 14 July 2026. Actual dates and times will be identified in the solicitation. Interested offerors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM). To register go to www.SAM.gov. Instructions for registering are on the web page (there is no fee for registration).  

The solicitation and associated information and the plans and specifications will be available only from the Contract Opportunities page at SAM.gov.  

Your attention is directed to RFO/FAR clause 52.219-14(e)(3) (DEVIATION 2021-O0008), LIMITATIONS ON SUBCONTRACTING, which states “By submission of an offer and execution of a contract, the Offeror/Contractor agrees in performance of the contract for General construction, it will not pay more than 85 percent of the amount paid by the Government for contract performance, excluding the cost of materials, to subcontractors that are not similarly situated entities. Any work that a similarly situated entity further subcontracts will count towards the prime contractor’s 85 percent subcontract amount that cannot be exceeded”.  

DISCLAIMER: The official plans and specifications are located on the official government webpage and the Government is not liable for information furnished by any other source. Amendments, if/when issued will be posted to Contract Opportunities for electronic downloading. This will normally be the only method of distributing amendments prior to closing; therefore, it is the offeror’s responsibility to check the website periodically for any amendments to the solicitation. Websites are occasionally inaccessible, due to NGB 2025 B-4 various reasons. The Government is not responsible for any loss of Internet connectivity or for an offeror’s inability to access the documents posted on the referenced web pages. The Government will not issue paper copies.   

Note 1: All equipment interfacing with the base Direct Digital Controls (DDC) infrastructure requires compatibility with Honeywell Niagara 4. Any additions, expansions, or interfaces must be fully interoperable with the current system. This integration must be achieved without any degradation of existing DDC capabilities. The introduction of separate or parallel systems is not permissible. Any new components must function as a natural extension of the established Honeywell Niagara 4 platform. 

Note 2: In addition to a base work described above, the solicitation will include the following option line items:  

Option 001 (PV Solar Array) 

If awarded, The CONTRACTOR shall complete the Bid Option 001 scope of work that includes installation of the solar PV array and associated infrastructure in accordance with the stamped Drawings and Specifications. 

Option 002 (BESS) 

If awarded, The CONTRACTOR shall complete the Bid Option 002 scope of work that includes installation of the Battery Energy Storage System and associated infrastructure in accordance with the stamped Drawings and Specifications.