The Corps of Engineers Little Rock District is soliciting comments from the construction community addressing the potential use of Project Labor Agreements (PLA) for the following large scale (exceeding $25 million) construction project: Design Bid Build, the Repair/Replace Primary Runway Project at Little Rock AFB (LRAFB), AR This project will include resizing runway from 200 foot wide to 150 foot wide, raising runway elevations and modifying surrounding terrain features to minimize the number of waivers and obstructions. The project will replace all associated airfield lighting and visual NAVAIDS to provide Category II approaches on Runway 25 and ILS Category I approaches on Runway 07. To meet current obstruction, grading and drainage and electrical requirements, substantial portions of the five ladder taxiways will be reconstructed. The C-130 Landing Zone (formerly Assault Strip) will receive a 13 inch concrete overlay and profile adjustment. Expected life cycle of new runway is 40 years Range of Magnitude: $25M-100M Category of Construction (residential, building, highway, heavy): Highway Construction Project Estimated duration, deadline and complexity: 912 calendar days, Award NLT 30Sept 2014 and med range complexity. Trades expected to be employed on this project: The expected trades for this project include but are not limited to, Electrical, Concrete and Earthwork. Some of the areas that may be considered regarding PLA use are: a. The involvement of multiple contractors and/or subcontractors working in multiple crafts or trades. b. The complexity of the project. c. Shortage of skilled labor in the region. d. Completion of the project will require an extended period of time. e. The use of PLA's on other comparable projects in this geographic area. f. The promotion of the Governments long term programs interests such as training of skilled workforce for future projects. g. The possibility of labor disputes that threaten timely completion. h. Additional costs from use of PLAs may be cost prohibitive. A PLA is defined as a pre-hire collective bargaining agreement with 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) Policy: a. Project Labor Agreement (PLA) is a tool that agencies may use to promote economy and efficiency in Federal procurement. Pursuant to Executive Order 13502, agencies are encouraged to consider requiring the use of project labor agreements in connection with large-scale construction projects. b. 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 1. Advance the Federal Governments 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 2. Be consistent with law. Reference: Provision: 52.222-33 Notice of Requirement for Project Labor Agreement Clause 52.222-34 Project Labor Agreement. In consideration of the above areas, and any others which may be deemed appropriate, the construction community is invited to comment on the use of PLAs. Of particular interest to the USACE Little Rock District are responses to the following questions: Q1.) Do you have knowledge that a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) has been used in the local area on projects of this kind? *If so, please provide supporting documentation. Q2.) 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. Q3.) Are you aware of time sensitive issues/scheduling requirements that would impact the rate at which the reference project should be completed? *If so, please elaborate and provide supporting documentation where possible. Q4.) Indentify specific reasons why or how you believe a PLA would advance the Federal Government's interest in achieving economy and efficiency in federal procurement. Q5.) Indentify specific reasons why you do not believe a PLA would advance the Federal Government's interest in achieving economy and efficiency in federal procurement. Q6.) Please indentify any additional information you believe should be considered on the use of a PLA on the referenced project. Q7.) Please indentify any additional information you believe should be considered on the non-use of a PLA on the reference project. Additional Questions of interest that may be answered if applicable: 1. What market share does union labor have in the geographic area for this project or type of construction? 2. Does the local market contain the sufficient number of available skilled workers for this project? o Are the other projects in the vicinity going to limit the pool of skill labor available for your project? 3. What investments have been made to support registered apprenticeship programs? 4. Have PLAs been used on comparable projects undertaken by the public or private sector in this geographic region? 5. Have PLAs been used on this type of project in other regions? 6. Which CBAs are likely to expire during the course of the project under consideration that might cause delays? (local building trades and contractors can provide information) 7. How do open shop and union wage rates influence prevailing wage rates in the local market and compare to Davis Bacon rates? o What impact does unionization in the local market have on wages? 8. Could a PLA contribute to cost savings in any of the following ways? o Harmonization of shifts and holidays between the trades to cut labor costs? o Minimizing disruptions that may arise due expiration of CBA? o Availability of trained, registered apprentices, efficient for highly skilled workforce? o Allowing for changes in apprentice to journeyman ratio. o Serving as a management tool that ensures highly skilled workers from multiple trades are coordinated in the most efficient way? o Other? 9. Could a PLA minimize risk and contribute to greater efficiency in any of the following ways? o Mechanisms to avoid delays o Complying with Davis Bacon and other labor standards, safety rules and EEO and OFCCP laws. o Ensuring a steady supply of skilled labor in markets with low supply or high competition for workers. 10. Are there ways in which a PLA might increase costs on this particular project? THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION FOR PROPOSALS AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE ANY COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT. Responses to this labor market survey will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. All interested sources must respond to future solicitations announcements separately from responses to this market survey. Please provide your comments via email to Alicia Moore, Contract Specialist, at
[email protected] no later than 2:00 P.M. (CT) on 06 May 2014.