PROJECT LABOR MARKET SURVEY FOR PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS (PLA) FOR:  EAST WEST INFRASTRUCTURE CONNECTION (EWIC)

PROJECT LABOR MARKET SURVEY FOR PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS (PLA) FOR:  EAST WEST INFRASTRUCTURE CONNECTION (EWIC) – A MILCON PROJECT - CONSTRUCTION, FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, MD (FY27)

SPECIAL NOTICE: PANNAD-26-P-0000 030268

This Special Notice is not a Request for Proposal, Request for Quote, or Invitation for Bid. There is no commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation, make awards, or pay for respondent's expenditures made in response to this notice. Interested vendors are responsible for monitoring this notice for any subsequent amendments. All submissions become government property and will not be returned. Any solicitation issued as a result of this notice will be in a separate announcement.

The Corps of Engineers - Baltimore District is soliciting comments from the construction community addressing the use of Project Labor Agreements (PLA) for a large-scale construction project in Fort George G. Meade, MD.

Background: The Government has a requirement for construction services for the EWIC project construction efforts at Fort George G. Meade located in Maryland. The magnitude of this project is between $40,000,000 and $60,000,000.  The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) for this requirement is NAICS Code 237310 for Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction and additional opportunities to subcontracting for NAICS Code 237310 Constructing distribution lines and related buildings and structures for utilities as classified in Industry Group 2371 Utility System Construction. Business Size Standard of $45.0 Million.

The USACE Baltimore District is implementing this FY27 MILCON project with Design-Bid-Build delivery method.

Project Description: This project is for the USACE customer Maryland Procurement Office (MPO).  The project construction scope includes realignment of Venona Road (between O’Brien intersection in the north and Canine Road and realignment of Rockenbach Road between O’Brien intersection and 3rd Cavalry Rd , installation of physical security and anti terrorism (PSAT) fence, and other security fences, and construction of electrical and communication duct banks under  and/or by the proposed Venona Rd realignment from the west of O’Brien Rd to Canine Rd.

The Venona Road and Rockenbach Road realignment will separate traffic circulation between MPO and the general Fort Meade installation road network, with the proposed Venona Road realignment serving as a primary east-west route through the MPO campus.  The telecom duct bank segment will further connect the communication duct bank from the East Campus to create a complete communications loop. The construction project scope includes relocation of pedestrian sallyport that will be removed with the demolition of VCP3.

Construction of the road realignment and duct banks includes site preparation and site development features to create a complete and useable project. Site preparation includes demolition, site clearing and grubbing, cut and fill, grading, and erosion and sedimentation control features. Site development includes utility connections, stormwater management, site access, and roadway improvements. Additional site work will provide Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) / Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible walkways, access roads, and storm water management. 

This project will comply with Department of Defense (DoD) Antiterrorism/Force Protection requirements in accordance with UFC 4-010-01, DoD Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification framework, and the requirements set by the Planning Team in accordance with UFC 4-020-01. Access for individuals with disabilities will be provided. Contracts for E-W IC will be acquired using a Design-Bid-Build (DBB) method of delivery.

Industry Feedback Requested. In accordance with RFO FAR 22.5, the Baltimore District is performing market research to assess market conditions to determine if an exception to the PLA requirements should be pursued. Specifically, the Baltimore District is requesting specific information as whether the inclusion of the PLA requirement would ‘substantially reduce the number of potential offerors to such a degree that adequate competition at a fair and reasonable price could not be achieved’ (RFO FAR 22.502-2(d)(1)(ii)).

A project labor agreement is defined as a pre-hire collective bargaining agreement with one or more labor organization that establishes the terms and conditions of employment for a specific construction project and is an agreement described in 29 U.S.C. § 158(f). See RFO FAR 22.502-1 policy for details.

The Baltimore District is performing market research to assess market conditions to determine if an exception to the PLA requirements should be pursued. Specifically, the Baltimore District is requesting specific information as whether the inclusion of the PLA requirement would ‘substantially reduce the number of potential offerors to such a degree that adequate competition at a fair and reasonable price could not be achieved’ (RFO FAR 22.502-2(d)(1)(ii)). The Baltimore District requests responses to the following construction labor questions. Specificity in your response is requested to fully inform our analysis of the competitive market.

1.  Do you have knowledge that a PLA has been used in the local area on projects of this kind?  If so, provide supporting documentation.  The information should include the following information on projects completed in the last 2-5 years:

a) Project Name and Location

b) Detailed Project Description

c) Initial Cost Estimate vs. Actual Final Cost

d) Was the project completed on time?

e) Number of craft trades present on the project

f) Was a PLA used?

g) Were there any challenges experienced during the project?

2.  Are you aware of skilled labor shortages in the area for those crafts that will be needed to complete the referenced project?  If so, elaborate and provide supporting documentation where possible.

• Does the local market contain enough available skilled workers for this project? 
• Are the other projects in the vicinity going to limit the pool of skill labor available for the subject project?
• Are you aware of time sensitive issues/scheduling requirements that would impact the rate at which the referenced project should be completed?  If so, please elaborate and provide supporting documentation where possible.
• Are there collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) that are likely to expire during the subject project that might cause delays?
• Identify any additional information you believe should be considered on the use of a PLA for the referenced project.
• If the use of PLA will impact project costs, please quantify the impacts and provide rationale for the impacts (whether increase or decrease to project costs). Specificity is important for the analysis as to whether a PLA is appropriate, or a waiver should be pursued.
• How would the use of a PLA impact the small business participation as subcontractors?  Are you aware of what small businesses are willing to enter a PLA as a subcontractor?  What is the threshold for small businesses to participate if they chose not to enter the PLA?
• How does the PLA impact competition at the subcontractor level? Specificity is important to support an analysis.
• How would a PLA on this project impact small business prime and subcontractors who are non-signatory to a PLA concurrently working a separate contract on the same project site.
• Does your firm currently hold a PLA with the local trade association(s)? If not, will you pursue a PLA for this project?  If not, why not?

Please send your labor market survey responses via email to Erica Eaton at Erica.A.Eaton@usace.army.mil and Jeffrey May at Jeffrey.B.May@usace.army.mil no later than 03:00 PM EST on 13 August 2026.  Details and clarity in responses are essential in order for the District Contracting Officer to assess competitive impacts, if any.