HVAC - Water Treatment

                                                                            COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION

                                                                                        W56ZTN-26-B-A004

This combined synopsis/solicitation is for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice.  This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued.  Incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2026-01 (13 March 2026).  The solicitation number for this request for proposal (RFP) is W56ZTN-26-B-A004.

This requirement is under the associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code 325998 –  All Other Miscellaneous Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing. The Government contemplates award of a full and open competitive single award, Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) on a firm-fixed price (FFP) basis in accordance with FAR 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures. This procurement will be evaluated as Lowest Price Technically Acceptable, for the procurement of the following services: HVAC Water Treatment.

All unpriced Technical Proposals are to be submitted via email to Nicole Sutton, Contract Specialist, nicole.s.sutton2.civ@army.mil and Terrijuana Veals, Contracting Officer, Terrijuana.p.veals.civ@army.mi, no later than FRIDAY, 11 SEPTEMBER 2026 @ 10:00 AM EDT. The SUBJECT LINE should read: W56ZTN -26-B-A004 Proposal from (INSERT COMPANY NAME).  

A Site Visit is scheduled for THURSDAY, 3 SEPTEMBER 2026 @ 8:00AM EDT. See Attachment 3 for Site Visit Schedule for details and instructions.

All questions must be submitted via email to Nicole Sutton nicole.s.sutton2.civ@army.mil and Terrijuana Veals terrijuana.p.veals.civ@army.mil no later than FRIDAY, 4 SEPTEMBER 2026 @ 8:00 AM EDT.  The SUBJECT LINE should read: W56ZTN-26-B-A004 Q&A from (INSERT COMPANY NAME).

Instructions to Offerors – Two‑Step Sealed Bidding (Step One Technical Proposal)

(Fully compliant with FAR 14.503‑1)

L.1 General

This solicitation is being issued using Two‑Step Sealed Bidding in accordance with FAR Subpart 14.5. Step One requests technical proposals only; Step Two requests sealed price bids from offerors whose Step One proposals are determined acceptable.

L.2 Step One – Technical Proposal Submission (No Pricing)

L.2.1. Description of Requirement

Offerors shall submit a technical proposal addressing the Government’s requirement for HVAC Water Treatment. The Government intends to use two‑step sealed bidding for this acquisition.

L.2.2. Intent to Use Two‑Step Sealed Bidding

This Government intends to use the Two-Step sealed method. This constitutes Step One. No pricing shall be submitted at this stage. Only technical proposals are requested.

L.2.3. Technical Proposal Requirements

Technical proposals must include all information necessary to determine technical acceptability. Technical proposals shall be submitted in accordance with the Performance Work Statement (Attachment 1) and technical requirements listed in the chart below:

****SEE COMBINED SYNOPSIS SOLICITATION FOR TECHNICAL CRITERIA**** 

Technical Proposal Submissions should be:

1. Single space Text
2. Double Space Paragraphs
3. 12-point minimum font size.
4. Arial or New Times Roman fonts only.  Table/illustrations 8-point min and landscape is acceptable.
5. Margins: All Margins 1 inch.
6. Gutter: 0 inches
7. Header and Footer 1.5 inches
8. Page Size: Width 8.5 inches and Height 11 inches (11 X 17 folded pages are acceptable for tables/graphic representations; however, each 11X17 page counts as two pages)
9. Page Limitations: Volume I Technical – 30 pages limit
10. Plain Text Proposals (i.e., no identifying graphics, logo, watermarks, etc.) charts, graphics, pictures, etc. are allowed to be used in the proposal but should not contain any identifying information and should be within the allotted page count to each volume.

NOTE: Pages that exceed the required page limitations will not be evaluated.

The following chart gives a guide/sample of page count limits:

Section     Page Limit

Technical Approach   20 pages

Management/Staffing Approach   4 pages

Project Manager Resume   2 pages

Lead Water Treatment Specialist Resume  2 pages

Alternate Resume    2 pages

Total     30 pages

k. Restrictions: All information shall be confined to the appropriate volume.  The Offeror shall confine submissions to essential matters and sufficiently define the proposal in a concise manner, to permit a complete and accurate evaluation of each proposal.  Proprietary information shall be clearly marked. The following shall be included in the volumes:

L.2.4. Evaluation Criteria

Technical proposals will be evaluated using the criteria in Section M. All factors and significant subfactors are listed as required by FAR 14.503‑1(a)(4).

L.2.5. No Pricing Allowed

Technical proposals shall not include prices or pricing information. Any proposal containing pricing will be rejected as unacceptable.

L.2.6. Submission Deadline

Technical proposals must be received no later than FRIDAY 11 SEPTEMBER 2026 AT 10:00AM EDT. Late submissions will be handled in accordance with FAR 14.304.

L.2.7. Eligibility for Step Two

Only offerors whose technical proposals are determined acceptable will be invited to participate in Step Two and submit sealed price bids (FAR 14.503‑1(a)(7)). Each Step Two bid must be based on the offeror’s own acceptable technical proposal.

L.2.8. Government’s Right to Request Discussions

Offerors are cautioned to ensure that their proposals contain all necessary information and are complete in all respects. The Government intends to award a contract without conducting discussions with offerors in accordance with FAR 15.306(a); however, in accordance with FAR 15.306(d), discussions may be held.

L.2.9. Notice of Unacceptability

Offerors whose technical proposals are determined unacceptable will receive a written notice of unacceptability after evaluation is complete. (FAR 14.503‑1(a)(9))

L.2.10. Single Technical Proposals

The Government allows only one technical proposal per offeror. (FAR 14.503‑1(a)(10))

L.3 Step Two – Sealed Price Bid Submission

Only offerors with acceptable Step One technical proposals will receive the Step Two Invitation for Bids (IFB).

L.3.1 Bid Submittal and Inquiries

Step Two bids must:

• Be sealed
• Contain pricing only
• Be based on the offeror’s own acceptable technical proposal (FAR 14.503‑2)

1. A hard copy bid shall be submitted on WEDNESDAY, 23 SEPTEMBER 2026 Meet in lobby between 8:00AM – 8:45AM for Opening Bid to begin at 9:00AM at the following office location:

ACC – APG

6565 Surveillance Loop, Lobby of Bldg. 6001

Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005

Contract Specialist: Nicole Sutton; nicole.s.sutton2.civ@army.mil

Contracting Officer: Terrijuana Veals; terrijuana.p.veals.civ@army.mil

Note: Please include “Bid Submission” and the solicitation number, W56ZTN-26-B-A004, on the cover page of your bid.  Bids received after the due date and time will be handled in accordance with FAR 52.214-7 Example Subject Reference. “Bid Submission W56ZTN-26-B-A004 HVAC Water Treatment”.

Bidders shall include a cover letter or introductory email body with their submission.  The following information must be clearly displayed to ensure the bid is properly identified:

Instruction for the Bidder

Submission Office: List the address of the office exactly as specified in the Combined Synopsis/Solicitation.

Submission Deadline: State the time and date specified for the receipt of bids (23 September 2026, TIME: 9:00AM).

Solicitation Number/Title: Clearly reference the full solicitation number (W56ZTN-26-B-A004 – Volume II Price Bid)

Bidder Identification: Provide the full legal name and physical address of the bidding entity.

Bidders SHALL include:

ATTACHMENT 4: Pricing Schedule Bid Form with proposed individual total price for each year on the summary page and each CLIN per tab shall be completed.  Incomplete bid forms will result in removal of consideration. Pricing Schedule should include proposed unit pricing for all line items to include the aggregate value of each CLIN and the TOTAL Unit Price for ALL CLINs for each year. Submitted spreadsheets will be unprotected and contain NO passwords.

All unit costs are fully burdened. The term “fully burdened” includes, but is not limited to, all equipment, materials, labor, incidentals, other direct costs, resources, subcontracts, overhead, profit, and bond.

1. Acceptance by Contracting of Hand Carried Bids.  Bidder shall deliver their bid to the address found in Section L.3.1 titled “Bid Submittal and Inquiries”, note that the bid cannot be accepted outside of normal business hours (i.e. Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM EST).  Bids will not be accepted on Federal Holidays.  Bids must be accepted by a member of the ACC-APG Facilities Branch contracting team.  Bids left with any other Federal employee or contractor at the above listed address will not be considered to have been received.  Time of receipt of hand delivered bids will be when the bid is handed to a member of the ACC-APG Facilities Branch.  Bids received by members of the ACC-APG Facilities Branch after the close of the solicitation shall be deemed “late” unless any of the FAR exceptions in FAR 52.214-7(b) apply.
2. Unexpected closures: If, at the time of scheduled bid opening, Aberdeen Proving Ground is closed due to uncontrolled events as fire, snow, ice, or building evacuation, the bid opening will be postponed until 10:00 AM on the next normal business day.  Bids will be accepted until that date and time.
3. Facsimile bids will not be accepted or considered.
4. The point of contact responsible for supplying additional information and answering all inquiries is the Contracting Officer via the Contract Specialist.  Address all questions or concerns the bidder may have to the Contract Specialist – Nicole Sutton and Contracting Officer – Terrijuana Veals.

Email: nicole.s.sutton2.civ@army.mil

Subject Reference: Questions W56ZTN-26-B-A004

Email: terrijuana.p.veals.civ@army.mil

Subject Reference: Questions W56ZTN-26-B-A004

All questions received will be answered via posting on SAM.gov.  If the Government responses to questions affect the Performance Work Statement (PWS) requirements or any other portion of the Synopsis/Solicitation, then an Amendment will be issued.

Bid Opening – It shall be the duty of each bidder to see that their bid is delivered within the time and at the place prescribed in this IFB.  Bids (including modifications) received prior to the time fixed in this IFB for opening of bids will be securely kept unopened.  No bid, modifications, or withdrawal, received after the time fixed in this IFB for opening for bids will be considered except as provided in accordance with FAR 52.214-7.  After the time fixed for the opening of bids, their contents will be made public by announcement for the IFB, and others properly interested who may be present either in person or by representative. 

The Government will hold a public Invitation for Bid (IFB) opening on 23 September 2026, Meet in lobby between 8:00AM – 8:45AM for Opening Bid to begin at 9:00AM at 6565 Surveillance Loop, Lobby of Bldg 6001, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005.  All bidders may attend with a limit of two attending per firm.

Modify or withdrawal of bid: A bidder may correct, modify or withdraw a bid by written notice received by the Contracting Officer (KO) prior to the time and date set for the bid opening.  Bid modifications must be submitted in a sealed envelope clearly labeled Modification No. ---.  Each modification must be numbered in sequence and must reference the original IFB.

General Instructions

1. The selection of a source for award purposes will be conducted utilizing sealed bidding procedures as delineated in FAR Part 14.  Bidders will be evaluated using the criteria under procedures 52.212-2, “Evaluation – Commercial Products and Commercial Services.”  Noncompliance with the Invitation for Bid (IFB) requirements may hamper the Government’s ability to properly evaluate the bid and may result in elimination of the bid from further consideration for contract award. 
2. Small Business. This requirement is a total small business set aside in accordance with FAR 19.805.
3. North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code: The NAICS code for this acquisition is 325998 – All Other Miscellaneous Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing.  It is the Bidder’s responsibility to ensure that its System for Award Management (SAM) registration includes this NAICS.  If it does not, contract award may be delayed.
4. The Bid.  The submission of the documents specified will constitute the bidder’s acceptance of the terms and conditions of the IFB, concurrence with the Performance Work Statement, specifications, and contract type.  The Government will evaluate bids and award a contract without discussions.  Bidders are encouraged to present their best prices in their initial bid submission.
5. Contract Type: This will be a single award Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract.  The period of performance is a five-year contract, with 6-month option, consisting of:

Base Year:                             17 November 2026 – 16 November 2027

Year 1:                                   17 September 2027 – 16 September 2028

Year 2:                                   17 September 2028 – 16 September 2029

Year 3:                                   17 September 2028 – 16 September 2030

Year 4:                                  17 September 2029 – 16 September 2031

6 Month Extension (Option):   16 September 2031 – 16 March 2032

1. System for Award Management (SAM): To be eligible for award of a Department of Defense (DoD) contract, Contractor registration in the SAM database is required (see FAR Clause 52.204-7).  Failure to register with SAM shall make the Contractor ineligible for award.  New registration in SAM can take a few weeks.  Therefore, it is critical that Bidders interested in this solicitation complete their SAM registration in sufficient time to meet solicitation representation and certification requirements.
2. Amendments: It is the responsibility of all interested parties wishing to bid on this requirement to monitor SAM.gov website at https://sam.gov/content/home for any and all amendments to this solicitation. Failure to respond to an amendment shall render the bid ineligible for award and thereby rejected.
3. Information to bidders: The KO will notify unsuccessful bidders in accordance with FAR Part 14.
4. Bid Envelopes: Envelopes containing bids shall be sealed and addressed to the bid receiving office stated in this IFB.  The name and address of the bidder should be shown in the upper left corner of the bid envelope, including the date and time of bid opening. List the phrase “Bid for W56ZTN-26-B-A004” in the lower left corner of the envelope.  No responsibility will attach to any officer of the Government for the premature opening of or failure to open a bid not properly addressed and identified. 
5. Bid Content:  All Attachments described in Bid Submittal and Inquiries (Attachment 4/Completed Pricing Schedule Bid Form)
6. Failure to comply with the foregoing requirements may eliminate the bid from further consideration.

A small business joint venture bidder must submit, with its bid, the representation required in paragraph (c) of FAR solicitation provisions 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications – Commercial Products and Commercials Services, and paragraph (c) of FAR solicitation provision 52.219-1, Small Business Program Representations, in accordance with 52.204-8(d) and 52.212-3(b) for the following categories:

1. Small business;
2. Service – disabled veteran-owned small business;
3. Women-owned small (WOSB) under the WOSB Program;
4. Economically disadvantaged women-owned small business under the WOSB Program; or
5. Historically underutilized business zone small business

The Bidder shall submit a copy of the JV agreement with the bid.  In addition, the bidder shall provide the following with its bid if not stated in the agreement: A description of who will have control over the JV and the percentage of control, the management structure of the JV, who will manage the contract, the relative amount of work to be performed by each party, and who will perform each contract task.  The names, signatures, and titles of each participant in the JV shall be set forth in the bid. 

Failure to comply with the foregoing requirements may eliminate the bid from further consideration.

M.1 General

Evaluation in Step One is limited to technical acceptability. Evaluation in Step Two is based solely on price among acceptable offerors.

M.2 Step One – Technical Evaluation

M.2.1 Evaluation Standard

Technical proposals will be evaluated on an acceptable/unacceptable basis. Only proposals meeting all mandatory requirements will be considered acceptable.

M.2.2 Technical Evaluation Factors

Evaluation Criteria:

The following factors will be evaluated to determine offeror’s technical acceptability. The contractor must be found technically acceptable in all factors to be considered for award.

A furnished copy of all resumes(s), certificate(s) and any other pertinent supporting documentation such as experience, certifications and compliance, services offered, chemical supply, safety practices, inspections and testing, customer references, response time and support, and training and expertise shall be submitted with the proposal as proof of qualification. Failure to submit proof of qualification will result in a rating of Technically Unacceptable. Submissions shall not exceed 30 pages and all submissions shall be submitted electronically.

The chemical manufacturer/supplier shall be an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001:2008 certified company. ISO 9001:2008 is an international standard for quality management and assurance. ISO 9001:2008 certification typically involves quality assurance audits conducted by an independent third-party registrar that scrutinizes aspects of a company's quality system. It requires strict compliance with ISO quality standards as well as the company's own procedures, supported by documentation that must be consistently maintained.

The contractor shall have a minimum of ten years’ experience servicing boiler and cooling water systems.

The contractor shall possess the certification ASSE12080 Legionella Water Safety and Management Specialist Certification. Certification shall be submitted with proposal as proof of qualifications.

The contractor shall provide on-site water treatment support to gather samples, test, dispense, and monitor water chemistry on a continual basis. The on-site water treatment support individual(s) shall have a minimum of five (5) years of experience servicing boilers and cooling water systems. Additional support personnel under the supervision of the primary on-site water treatment support individual(s) are authorized to assist completion of this requirement. These personnel are not required to possess any special qualifications. The on-site water treatment support individual(s) shall always remain on site when assisting personnel are working on a system.

No substitutions shall be made to the on-site water treatment support except in accordance with this paragraph. All proposed substitutions shall be submitted, in writing, fourteen (14) calendar days in advance of the proposed substitutions to the Contracting Office. All requests for substitutions shall include a complete resume for the proposed substitute, and any other information requested by the Contracting Office as needed to approve or disapprove the proposed substitution. The Contracting Office will evaluate such requests and promptly notify the contractor of approval or disapproval thereof.

The contractor shall provide the name and certification of the state of Maryland (or equivalent – accreditation, such as ISO/IEC 17025) certified laboratory that will be utilized to perform metallographic analysis, chemical and deposition analysis. Contractors should be able to provide copies of current certifications and accreditations, particularly those relevant to metallography and chemical testing.

Each factor is rated Acceptable or Unacceptable.

M.3 Step Two – Price Evaluation

M.3.1 Price Evaluation Method

Only bidders with acceptable Step One proposals will be invited to submit sealed bids. Step Two bids will be evaluated using standard sealed bidding procedures under FAR Subparts 14.3 and 14.4.

M.3.2 Award Determination

Award will be made to the Lowest Price Technically Acceptable. Price will be the determining factor for proposals rated as acceptable for the non-cost factors. Price analysis using one or more methods listed under FAR 15.404-1(b) will be used to ensure that the Price Schedule Bid Form will result in a fair and reasonable price.

List of Attachments:

Attachment 1 – Performance Work Statement

Attachment 2 – Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP)

Attachment 3 – Site Visit Schedule

Attachment 4 – Price Schedule Bid Form

Attachment 5 – Technical Exhibit 1

Attachment 6 – Technical Exhibit 2

Attachment 7 – Clause List