Description
AETC CONS/LGCT seeks to identify, and obtain information from, responsible sources in connection with the privatization of the natural gas distribution system (NAICS 221210) at Wright Patterson AFB, OH. Privatization is defined as the conveyance of a utility system to a municipal, private, regional, district, or cooperative utility company or other entity. The conveyance may consist of all right, title, and interest of the United States in the utility system. Utility Privatization (UP) will be accomplished in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2688 Utility Systems: Conveyance Authority. Contractor will be required to assume ownership of the natural gas distribution system at Wright Patterson AFB, OH and as the new owner, shall operate and maintain the system and provide utility services to the Government. Contractor shall furnish all necessary labor, management, supervision, permits, equipment, supplies, materials, transportation, and any other incidental items or services required for the complete ownership of and provision of utility services via these utility systems, including operation, maintenance, repair, upgrades, and improvements to the utility systems. This Sources Sought Notice (hereinafter "Notice") is an essential step in determining market interest and feasibility. Responses received will be used to develop marketing strategies for the potential privatization of utilities at this installation. Should interest be determined sufficient, a formal solicitation may be forthcoming. Interested parties should provide a statement of interest on company letterhead by no later than 4:00 pm CST on November 9, 2009. Responses are preferred via e-mail, but hard copies and facsimiles will also be accepted. At a minimum, the statement of interest shall address: (1) capability and experience in utility privatization or owning and operating utility systems; (2) financial capability to justify potential award of such a contract; (3) a primary point of contact, including phone number and e-mail address; (4) an indication of the size of the business (large, small, or any sub-category of small business), and (5) for large businesses only an opinion on subcontracting possibilities with small and/or small, disadvantaged businesses. The potential opportunity for set-asides for small businesses and small disadvantaged businesses will be considered on the basis of the responses received. This Notice is solely for the Government's use as a market research tool. As such, the issuance of a competitive solicitation is not guaranteed. If determined appropriate, then both a synopsis and a solicitation may be anticipated in the February-March 2010 timeframe. All responsible sources are encouraged to submit a response to this Notice. All information received will be considered. Failure to respond to this Notice does not preclude a firm from offering on any resultant solicitation; however, a lack of interest in this requirement may keep this effort from moving forward competitively. This announcement shall not be construed as a commitment or authorization to incur costs in anticipation of an award. The Government is not bound to make any awards under this Notice. If you are interested in this project, please provide the information requested above to the AETC/LGCT Contracting Office. Vectren Natural Gas Company (Vectren) supplies odorized natural gas to Wright-Patterson AFB via a Government-wide supply contact administered by Defense Energy Support Center (DESC) through 14 metered delivery points located throughout WPAFB. A regulator, meter and valve station is located at each delivery point. The equipment at each delivery point is owned, operated and maintained by Vectren. In addition to the normal natural gas requirements on Base, the natural gas system also supplies fuel to two compressed natural gas (CNG) facilities for the Base's CNG vehicle fleet. The CNG stations are located in Areas B and C but are specifically excluded from Utility Privatization. Gas distribution pressure ranges from 8 pounds per square inch gauge (psig) to 45-psig. The gas is distributed throughout the Base through approximately 31 miles of underground pipelines. These lines are owned, operated and maintained by the Base, except for some privatized housing service laterals. Many of these lines are polyethylene (PE) pipe with tracer wire. The balance of the pipe is coated and wrapped steel and originally protected by a cathodic protection system utilizing sacrificial anodes. Pipe is typically buried at a minimum of three feet below the surface. The Wright-Patterson AFB gas distribution system has undergone significant replacement projects in the last 20 to 30 years. When it is necessary to add or replace lines, due to new construction or repair, PE pipe is usually the material of choice. A generalized system assessment was conducted with Base engineering, operation and maintenance personnel. For assessment purposes, the Base was subdivided into 14 areas, generally around delivery/meter points and areas of similar age and condition. Base-wide, the coated and wrapped steel pipe system was protected by a cathodic protection system, which utilizes sacrificial anodes unless otherwise noted. Pipe failures do not seem to be a problem in any of the areas. Summaries of the condition assessments are as follows: • Meter Point (MP) 1, serving the northern portion of Area B, was the oldest gas system on Base but has undergone significant upgrades. The coated and wrapped steel pipe was originally installed around 1943 and is thought to be in average to poor condition. Over half of the pipe downstream from this meter point was replaced around 2001. The older plug valves in this area of the system are considered to be in average to poor condition. The 25-¬psig distribution system pressure is adequate and serves facilities primarily utilized for research. The gas system served by this meter point is an isolated system and is not connected to distribution piping served by other delivery points. • MP 2 is also located in the northern portion of Area B. It serves an incinerator and an occupational health clinic. The pressure for this part of the system has a 25-psig pressure. The coated and wrapped steel pipe and plug valves were installed in 1947 and are thought to be in average condition. Approximately 40 percent of the pipe has been replaced in the last 15 years. This section of the gas system is also isolated from other sections of the distribution system. • MP 3 is located in the north central portion of Area B and serves research facilities. Much of this system was replaced in 1985 and consists of PE pipe and plug valves, which are considered to be in good condition. Piping was installed with tracer wire and warning tape. The distribution pressure in this portion of the system is 40-psig. This is also an isolated gas system. A major replacement project occurred in 2002 replacing lines along Skyline Drive. • MP 4 is located in Area B and serves the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright Field. The polyethylene (PE) pipe and plug valves were installed in 2000 and are considered to be in good condition. The gas pressure is 10-psig. The gas lines were recently extended to serve an additional hangar facility at the museum in 2004. • MP 5 serves The Prairies at Wright Field housing area, located west of Area B. The PE pipe and plug valves were installed in 1984 and upgraded during 2003 in some areas as part of the housing privatization initiative. Tracer wire and warning tape are in place; piping is considered to be good condition with a pressure of 25-psig. This is a looped system and pressure is not a problem. A normally closed Vectren valve is located on the north side of the housing area and provides an emergency backup source of gas for The Prairies housing area. • MP 6 serves only the school in The Prairies housing area with three-inch PE pipe. The gas pressure is 25 psig. • MP 7 (National Road Metering Station) is located on the east side of Area B and serves facilities located along the east boundary of Area B. The coated and wrapped steel pipe and plug valves were installed in 1950 and are considered to be in average condition. This section has a gas pressure of 25-psig. It is estimated that 100 percent of the pipe has been replaced in the last 15 years. As pipe is replaced, it is replaced with PE piping with tracer wire and warning tape. This is another isolated system consisting of several dead-end lines and one gas source serving primarily office buildings. A new childcare center and Air Force Institute of Technology building are also served by this sub-system. • MP 8 serves The Woods at Wright Field housing area, located east of Area B and south of Area C. The PE pipe and plug valves were installed in 1970 and are considered to be in good condition with a gas pressure of 45-psig. No significant sections of pipe have been replaced in the last 15 years. The regulators are considered to be in average condition. This is a looped system and pressure is not a problem. During the installation of the PE pipe, tracer wire and warning tape were not installed which makes locating the pipe extremely difficult and increases the chances of line damage when excavation is taking place in this area. • MP 9 is located on the north edge of The Woods housing area and serves only a heat plant, located near the meter point. The coated and wrapped steel pipe and plug valves were installed in 1991 and are considered to be in excellent condition. The system pressure at the heat plant is 35-psig. The cathodic protection for this section of pipe was also installed in 1991. • MP 10 is located on the south boundary of Area A and serves Area A. The coated and wrapped steel pipe and plug valves were originally installed in 1970 and are considered to be in average condition with a gas pressure of 8-psig. An estimated 25 percent of the pipe has been replaced in the past 15 years. The gas distribution system in this area primarily serves office buildings in the west portion and MFH in the east portion of Area A. Gas lines from Vectren MP 11, serving Area C, are also connected to this distribution system in the Area A Housing. A recent project was completed to replace a section of 4-inch steel piping with 6-inch piping and an upgrade of the regulators serving this section resulting in reduced operational problems. A section line along Communications Blvd. was replaced in 2000. Most recently, the entire system in the housing area known as The Bricks was replaced in 2003 with PE pipe; tracer wire and warning tape was also installed. • MP 11 is located near Gate 35C on the east side of Area C and serves Area C. The PE pipe and plug valves were installed in 1980 and are considered to be in good condition. The distribution pressure in this area of the system is 8-psig and serves a combination of office, industrial, and flight-line hanger facilities. The distribution system in Area C is a looped system and is also interconnected with the distribution system serving Area A, which provides a second source of gas for Area C. No facilities are currently being planned which will significantly increase the gas demand in Area C. • MP 12 is located along the east boundary of Area C and serves the West Ramp Area. In 1993, approximately 3500 linear feet of 6-inch PE pipe was installed from MP12, along the east boundary of Area C and into the West Ramp area. The pipe is considered to be in good condition with a gas pressure of 8-psig, and was installed with tracer wire and warning tape. This is a radial system that is isolated from other systems serving the Installation. • MP 13 is located along the east boundary of the Kittyhawk Center, which is in the northeast portion of the Installation. The coated and wrapped steel lines date back to 1943 and are in poor condition. All pipes in this area were replaced in 1999/2000. This portion of the gas system is isolated from the other distribution systems and serves facilities that range from office to small industrial type facilities. This section of the system has a gas pressure of 8-psig. • MP 14 is located at the southwest corner of the Kittyhawk Center and serves only one heat plant. The 8-inch PE line was installed in 1994 with tracer wire and warning tape and is considered to be in excellent condition. This system is isolated from the other distribution systems. There is currently an active cathodic protection program at the Base. This program is cognizant of many problems in the system such as inadequate insulation unions and flanges, PE pipe sections installed between metal pipes without jumper wires, and old anode beds that cannot be located. The gas distribution system has both sacrificial anode and impressed current cathodic protection systems. Generally, the sacrificial anode systems are associated with steel pipe. Installation technicians are more concerned about sections of steel pipe in Area B, primarily because soil conditions are more corrosive than in Areas A and C. There is no Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system or Energy Monitoring and Control System (EMCS) included in the natural gas privatization package. There are no natural gas components to be privatized at either the Huffman Radar Site or the Kauffman Avenue Switching Station.