This is a Sources Sought Notice only . This is not a request for proposal, but a survey to locate potential sources. This Sources Sought does not constitute an Invitation for Bids, Request for Proposals, or a Request for Quotations, and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue an order or otherwise pay for the information solicited, nor is it a guarantee of a forthcoming solicitation or contract. It is for market research purposes only. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation. The purpose of this Sources Sought Notice is to gain knowledge of interest, capabilities, and qualifications of various members of industry, to include the Small Business Community: Small Business, Section 8(a), Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUB-Zone), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB), and Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB). The Government must ensure there is adequate competition among the potential pool of responsible contractors. Small businesses, Section 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB, & EDWOSB businesses are highly encouraged to participate. (2) Date :17 February 2026 (3) Classification Code : F1 (4) NAICS Code: 238220 (5) NAICS Size Standard: $19 Million (6) Contracting Office Address: 2800 Powder Mill Road Bldg. 601 Adelphi, Maryland 20783 (7) Subject: Sources Sought for Sources Sought for maintenance of water treatment systems located at the Army Research Laboratory (ARL), Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), MD. (8) Proposed Solicitation Number: W911QX26QA033 (9) Sources Sought Closing Response Date: Five (5) days after posting (10) Contact Point: Adaleta Dougherty Contract Specialist,
[email protected] (11) A. Objective: To find sources that are qualified to meet the supplies/services as listed in section 11B. Note that the specific requirements in section C are subject to change prior to the release of any solicitation. PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS) Maintenance of Water Treatment Systems Army Research Laboratory (ARL), Spesutie Island and Graces Quarters, Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), MD 08 January 2026 C.1 BACKGROUND : In 2002, water treatment systems were installed at ARL APG, Spesutie Island, MD, which was maintained by ARL’s Department of Public Works (DPW). DPW also provided maintenance of the water treatment systems, which was included with the system installation. The service performed by DPW for maintenance was stopped in approximately 2008. In 2022, a FFP contract was awarded for the maintenance program for the filtration of undesirable contaminants in the water systems on Spesutie Island, ARL, APG, MD and Graces Quarters, Middle River, ARL, MD. C.2 OBJECTIVE: ARL requires continuance of a maintenance program for the filtration of undesirable contaminants in the water systems utilized for personal, as well as laboratory purposes, on Spesutie Island, ARL, APG, MD and Graces Quarters, 9 Lace Road, Middle River, ARL, MD. The current water has been certified as “potable” for human use, but due to certain contaminants, especially iron, quarterly maintenance is required to ensure that damage to highly specialized equipment used in experimental operations does not occur. C.3 REQUIREMENTS : Base Year Maintenance: C.3.1 The Contractor shall perform a Quarterly Site Visit on all existing water treatment systems and applicable control units located in Buildings on Spesutie Island (16 total locations). The Quarterly Site Visit shall include the following maintenance and testing: C.3.1.1 The Contractor shall ensure maintenance on each water treatment system is performed at the end of each quarter. Maintenance shall include all of the following: C.3.1.1.1 All required chemicals, feeder fills, filter changes, resin cleaning, rebedding of filters, and salts to operate the water treatment systems based upon Culligan, the original equipment manufacturer’s (OEM), standards of the water treatment systems. C.3.1.1.2 Mixing of chlorine solution and blow down of retention tanks of dissolved impurities. C.3.1.2 The Contractor shall perform water testing at each Quarterly Site Visit and makeany adjustments necessary to maintain the water standards listed in Section C.3.2. C.3.1.3 The Contractor shall test the 30 or 55 gallon contact/retention tanks, depending on which unit is being serviced, to ensure that they remain fully functional in accordance with the OEM standards. Should the 30 or 55 gallon tanks fail to meet the OEM functionality standards, the Contractor shall replace the 30 or 55 gallon contract/retention tanks no later than (NLT) one (1) business day after receipt of required repair/replacement items. All repair/replacement items will be purchased by the Government and provided to the Contractor as Government Furnished Items (GFI) prior to repair/replacement. The Contractor shall ensure approval is obtained, from the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), prior to repair/replacement of any and all water systems. C.3.2 The Contractor shall record all of the results of the Quarterly Site Visit to include service conducted, test results, and recommendations for repair or replacement and provide the results in writing to the COR no later than five (5) business days after each visit. C.3.2.1 If any of the water treatment system parts located in the buildings listed inspection C.3.1 are determined to be below the OEM’s standards during the Quarterly Site Visit, the Contractor shall notify the COR in writing the same day the discrepancy was discovered and the need for repair and/or replacement of the water treatment system parts. If the COR approves of the repair and/or replacement of the water treatment system parts, the Government will purchase and provide the Contractor with the required part. The Contractor shall repair/and or replace the water treatment system part within one business day (1) after receipt of the required Government purchased part(s) from the COR. The Contractor shall ensure approval is obtained, from the COR, prior to repair of any and all water systems. All repair parts will be purchased by the Government and provided to the Contractor. C.3.2.2 If any of the water treatment systems located in the buildings listed in SectionC.3.1 are determined to be below the OEM’s standards, the Contractor shall return the system to the OEM’s standards and notify the COR in writing the same day. If the Contractor is unable to return the system to the OEM’s standards, they shall provide a recommendation if a new system installation is required. C.3.3 Emergency Service If the Government reports an emergency system or part failure on any of water treatment systems located in the buildings listed in section C.3.1, the Contractor shall respond (four (4) – seven (7)reports annually) to the Government’s emergency repair call within one (1) business day of call and return the system or part to the OEM’s standards. If a repair/replacement part is required, the Government will purchase and provide the Contractor with the required part. The Contractor shall repair/and or replace the water treatment system part within one (1) business day after receipt of the required Government purchased part(s) from the COR. C.3.4 Service Regulations The Contractor shall ensure that all disposals, installations, repair, and/or replacements of water treatment systems and parts are in accordance with Federal, State and local requirements. C.3.5 Hours of Operation Contractor personnel shall perform work during the hours of 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays. Contractor personnel shall coordinate work schedules with the COR and work on-site at a time and date approved by the COR. To meet an emergency system or part failure, it may be necessary, from time to time, for Contractor personnel to work outside the normal hours during the course of the year. C.3.6 OPTION Base Year Maintenance (CLIN 0001): The Contractor shall perform quarterly maintenance in accordance with Sections C.3.1 to C.3.5 C.3.7 OPTION Year One (1) Maintenance (CLIN 0002): The Contractor shall perform quarterly maintenance in accordance with Sections C.3.1 to C.3.5 C.3.8 OPTION Year Two (2) Maintenance (CLIN 0003): The Contractor shall perform quarterly maintenance in accordance with Sections C.3.1 to C.3.5 C.3.9 OPTION Year Three (3) Maintenance (CLIN 0004): The Contractor shall perform quarterly maintenance in accordance with Sections C.3.1 to C.3.5 C.3.10 OPTION Year Four (4) Maintenance (CLIN 0005): The Contractor shall perform quarterly maintenance in accordance with Sections C.3.1 to C.3.5 C.4 SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS C.4.1 Installation Access. All vehicles and personnel are subject to search and seizure of contraband or unauthorized Government property according to AR 190-13. C.4.2 The Contractor shall safeguard Government resources according to AR 11-2. The Contractor shall be responsible for maintaining proper conduct and good discipline within contractor occupied work areas. C.4.3 APG Unescorted Access. Employee must be able to obtain a favorable background investigation to have unescorted access to the restricted area. Unescorted access into restricted areas of APG shall be granted to contractor personnel who currently possess a security clearance or who have obtained a favorable National Agency Check (NAC) or Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Check. The contractor shall complete IMAP Form 1199, Application for Security Badge/Camera Pass, and FD 258, Application Fingerprint Card, for all contractor employees. Processing time for the FBI check is approximately four (4) to six (6) weeks. Before beginning work on this contract, the Contractor shall obtain required forms from the COR and return the completed forms to the COR within ten (10) working days. The Contractor shall advise employees that this information will be used to review criminal history records. Adverse information may result in an individual being denied security area access. The Contractor shall be responsible for delays in the progress or completion of the contract because of the Contractor employees' disqualification for security badges. Such delays will not be deemed excusable under the Default Clause and further, may be subject to the Liquidated Damages provision of this contract, if applicable. Until the FBI check is completed or a security clearance is granted, contractor personnel shall be continually escorted, into, out of, and within the restricted areas by other contractor personnel possessing a photographic security badge. C.4.4 Contractor employees and all associated sub-contractor employees requiring access to Army installations, facilities, and controlled access areas shall complete AT Level I awareness training within 14 calendar days after contract start date or effective date of incorporation of this requirement into the contract, whichever is applicable. The Contractor shall submit certificates of completion for e4ach affected contractor employee and subcontractor employee, to the COR or the Contracting Officer, if a COR is not assigned, within 7 calendar days after completion of training by all employees and subcontractor personnel. This includes new contractor employees as they are assigned. AT Level 1 Awareness Training is available at the following website: http://jko.jten.mil. C.4.5 Contractor employees and all associated sub-contractors employees requiring access to Army installations, facilities, and controlled access areas shall provide all information required for background checks to meet installation access requirements to be accomplished by installation Provost Marshal Office, Director of Emergency Services or Security Office. Contractor workforce must comply with all personal identity verification requirements (FAR clause 52.204-9, Personal Identity Verification of Contractor Personnel) as directed by DOD,HQDA and/or local policy. In addition to the changes otherwise authorized by the changes clause of this contract, should the Force Protection Condition (FPCON) at any individual facility or installation change, the Government may require changes in contractor security matters or processes. C.4.6 Contractor employees and all associated sub-contractor employees that do not require CAC, but require access to a DoD facility or installation shall comply with adjudication standards and procedures using the National Crime Information Center Interstate Identification Index (NCIC-III) and Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB) (Army Directive 2014-05/AR 190-13), applicable installation, facility and area commander installation/facility access and local security policies and procedures (provided by government representative), or, at OCONUS locations, in accordance with status of forces agreements and other theater regulations. C.4.7 Contractor employees and all associated sub-contractors requiring access to Army installations, facilities, and controlled access areas shall brief all employees on the local iWATCH program (training standards provided by the requiring activity ATO). This local developed training will be used to inform employees of the types of behavior to watch for and instruct employees to report suspicious activity to the COR. This training shall be completed within 14 calendar days of contract award and within 7 calendar days of new employees commencing performance with the results reported to the COR NLT 20 calendar days after contract award. C.4.8 Contractor employees with Security Clearances, per AR 381-2, para 2-4b; Threat Awareness and Reporting Program (TARP), must receive annual TARP training by a CI agent or other trainer as specified in 2-4b. Please see below information for making report. iSALUTE: https://ww.inscom.army.mil/isalute iWATCH: https://www.myarmyonesource.com Spy Hotline: 1-800-CALL-SPY C.5. PERSONAL/CONTRACTOR-OWNED PROPERTY The Contractor shall ensure that personal property or contractor-owned property brought on any ARL installation is clearly marked as such to preclude misidentification as Government property. Additionally, the Contractor shall ensure that personal property or Contractor-owned property meets safety specifications as set forth by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), MOSH, and the U.S. Army. The Contractor shall ensure that all personal property or Contractor-owned property is removed from all ARL installations at the end of the period of performance. C. Responses: All interested parties should notify this office in writing, mail, fax, or e-mail within the posted date. Responses shall include: To what extent each of the specifications can be met. Include your type of business (i.e. commercial, academia), whether your organization is classified as a large or small business based on the $19 Million standard that accompanies NAICS code 238220. If a small business, you must also list any small disadvantaged status you hold [HUBZone, 8(a), Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Women Owned Small Business (WOSB), Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB), etc.]. Past experience/ performance through the description of completed projects. (12) Responses to this sources sought are due no later than 11:59 AM eastern standard time, 2/23/2026. Submissions should be emailed to
[email protected] Questions concerning this sources sought may be directed
[email protected] Please be advised that .zip and .exe files cannot be accepted. (13) Place of Contract Performance: Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD (14) Estimated Delivery Timeframe or Period of Performance: March 2026