Description - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District is soliciting comments from the construction community addressing the potential use of Project Labor Agreements (PLA) for a large-scale construction project with a construction magnitude greater than $500M for the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) Utility Corridor (UC) located at F.E. Warren (FEW) Air Force Base (AFB). The limits of construction extend beyond FEW AFB and southeast WY into parts of Colorado (CO) and Nebraska (NE). Email your responses no later than 2:00 PM central time on 8 September 2025 to
[email protected] and courtesy copy
[email protected]. Ensure your response is limited to 5 pages and the Subject Line of your response includes “ PLA Survey – GBSD UC, FEW AFB, WY ”. Please provide your contact information in the body of the email. A PLA is defined as a pre-hire collective bargaining agreement between a Prime contractor and one or more labor organizations 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). Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR 22.503) Policy provides that: (a) Executive Order (E.O.) 14063, Use of Project Labor Agreements for Federal Construction Projects, requires agencies to use project labor agreements in large-scale construction projects to promote economy and efficiency in the administration and completion of Federal construction projects. (b) When awarding a contract in connection with a large-scale construction project (see 22.502), agencies shall require use of project labor agreements for contractors and subcontractors engaged in construction on the project, unless an exception at 22.504(d) applies. (c) An agency may require the use of a project labor agreement on projects where the total cost to the Federal Government is less than that for a large-scale construction project, if appropriate. (1) An agency may, if appropriate, require that every contractor and subcontractor engaged in construction on the project agree, for that project, to negotiate or become a party to a project labor agreement with one or more labor organizations if the agency decides that the use of project labor agreements will— (i) Advance the Federal Government's interest in achieving economy and efficiency in Federal procurement, producing labor-management stability, and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations governing safety and health, equal employment opportunity, labor and employment standards, and other matters; and (ii) Be consistent with law. (2) Agencies may consider the following factors in deciding whether the use of a project labor agreement is appropriate for a construction project where the total cost to the Federal Government is less than that for a large-scale construction project: (i) The project will require multiple construction contractors and/or subcontractors employing workers in multiple crafts or trades. (ii) There is a shortage of skilled labor in the region in which the construction project will be sited. (iii) Completion of the project will require an extended period of time. (iv) Project labor agreements have been used on comparable projects undertaken by Federal, State, municipal, or private entities in the geographic area of the project. (v) A project labor agreement will promote the agency's long term program interests, such as facilitating the training of a skilled workforce to meet the agency's future construction needs. (vi) Any other factors that the agency decides are appropriate (d) For indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts the use of a project labor agreement may be required on an order-by-order basis rather than for the entire contract. For an order at or above $35 million an agency shall require the use of a project labor agreement unless an exception applies. See 22.504(d)(3) and 22.505(b)(3). Please incorporate responses to the following questions within your submission: 1) Do you have knowledge that a PLA has been used in the local area on projects of this kind? If so, please provide supporting documentation. 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, please elaborate and provide supporting documentation where possible. 3) Are you aware of time sensitive issues/scheduling requirements that would affect the rate at which the referenced project should be completed? If so, please elaborate and provide supporting documentation where possible. 4) Identify specific reasons why or how you believe a PLA would advance the Federal Government’s interest in achieving economy and efficiency in Federal procurement. 5) Identify specific reasons why you do not believe a PLA would advance the Federal Government’s interest in achieving economy and efficiency in Federal procurement. 6) Identify any additional information you believe should be considered on the use of a PLA on the referenced project. 7) Identify any additional information you believe should be considered on the non-use of a PLA on the referenced project. 8) Will the inclusion of the PLA requirement affect industry proposal submission timeliness? Please provide anticipated time required to draft and include a PLA with a proposal package. 9) How would a PLA on this project impact small business participation? Include any relevant information regarding small business prime and/or subcontractors who may or may not be non-signatory to a PLA concurrently working a separate contract on the same project site. 10) In addition, please provide answers to the following questions based upon your firm’s ability to execute this acquisition in terms of cost, schedule, and contract administration if a PLA is included. Please note we are not looking for detailed information but rather accurate estimates of percentages of these elements. 10.a) Provide an estimated percentage of total cost increase or decrease (i.e., 5%, 10%, etc.) to the project if a PLA is included. 10.b) Provide estimated percentages to labor, overhead, and other relevant costs to the project if a PLA is included. 10.c) Provide an estimated percentage of total schedule impacts to the project if a PLA is included. 10.d) Provide estimated percentages to the level of effort for the Prime Contractor to manage the contract if a PLA is included. The information gathered in this survey should include the following information on projects completed in the last five (5) years: 1. Project Name and Location 2. Detailed Project Description 3. Initial Cost Estimate vs. Actual Final Cost 4. Was the project completed on time? 5. Number of craft trades present on the project 6. Was a PLA used? 7. Were there any challenges experienced during the project? GBSD UC Project Description: This upcoming solicitation will be executed using a design-build (D-B) project delivery method, which will require the contractor to provide the Government with a complete facility and warranty based on the Request for Proposal (RFP). The tentative acquisition strategy based upon available funds and real estate considerations, is a Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC). The Sentinel Ground Based Strategic Deterrent Intercontinental Ballistic Missile System at F.E. Warren (FEW) Air Force Base (AFB) requires new utility and communication routes and connections to meet Weapon System criteria. As such, the Government anticipates a project requirement for military construction (MILCON) of a Sentinel Utility Corridor at FEW AFB missile fields located within Wyoming (WY), Colorado (CO), and Nebraska (NE). The majority of the project work will occur along the existing Hardened Intersite Cable System (HICS). As such, planning and design activities are currently ongoing to maintain execution and delivery timelines. The project is planned to have incremental funding from Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 through 2029; incremental funding is anticipated to be approximately 20% of the total project cost per FY. The project involves constructing utility corridors connecting the Sentinel Missile Field Launch Facilities, Launch Centers, and Wing Command Center at FEW AFB. The total length of the utility corridor infrastructure is anticipated to be between 1,500 and 2,500 miles. The project requirements will include the installation of conduits by various means, communication lines, construction of pull vaults and manholes, and boring under roadways, rivers, railways, etc., and the purchase and installation of the communications media. Facilities will be designed as permanent construction in accordance with Department of Defense Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) 1-200-01, General Building requirements. This project will comply with Department of Defense antiterrorism/ force protection requirements per UFC 4-010-01. Note, that permanent real estate and temporary construction work easements are being procured via separate contract action. Thus, USACE is seeking feedback on the construction industry’s ability to support design and acquisition of the project as well as input on construction methods to streamline project completion and assure efficient real estate acquisition. Special construction and functional requirements: Due to evolving project requirements, mission-critical need of the project, incremental funding, and separate real estate procurement effort, the Government is seeking ways to phase or increment the project, identify construction methods to minimize disturbance on non-Government owned lands, plan construction methodologies to assure predictable permanent land acquisitions, definable and efficient temporary real estate easements to support construction, and streamline timelines for project completion. Project Period of Performance: A construction completion date of 2031 is currently being considered. However, this may change based on the responses received.