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Contract Opportunity

Title:

Notice of Intent to Sole Source Voith governor control system to modify the existing Voith Governor System to work with the new 15KV Switchgear. The 15KV Switchgear Replacement project is at the Soo Project Office, Sault Ste. Marie, MI

Voith Hydro Inc

760 East Berlin Road

York, PA 17408-8701

Description:

The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, anticipates publicizing a solicitation for the 15KV Switchgear Replacement Construction Contract at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

As part of this procurement, the Detroit District Intends to specify band name products on a sole source basis under the authority of FAR 6.302-1(a)(2) to Voith Governor Control System. The Manufacturer, Voith Group - Voith US Inc, is uniquely qualified since they are the manufacture and installer of the governor control system on the hydro generator unit. Voith does not authorize other contractor to install or update their systems. Updating the governor involves identifying hard to detect issues, parameter adjustment, and calibration of the electronic based system that is unique to Voith’s equipment. Modifying it requires intimate knowledge and specific skills typical of manufacturer trained personnel. The governor is vital to maintaining availability of the Hydro Units.

The USACE Hydropower plant, located at the Soo Project Office, has been identified as “critical” to facility operations by the Cloverland Electric Company and to the Greater Eastern Upper Peninsula Region of Michigan. A governor failure is considered a “critical” failure, and results in the Hydro Generator shutting down. Voith is the manufacture and installer of the existing governor control system. It is imperative that only certified engineers/technicians update and test the system. Unqualified personnel not familiar with this critically sensitive specialized equipment could harm the Hydro Generator by causing permanent damage. It is anticipated that validating the system will need to be accomplished while the unit is online. The governor is electronic with numerous set-points and accidentally changing a parameter could result in significant damage to the generator, which would potentially cost the Government hundreds of thousands of dollars in replacement costs. Additionally, any miss-step with 13,800 VAC could result in personnel injury and electrical damage to the hydro generator. Voith, the manufacturer and installer of the governor control system, is the only company authorized to work on the governor control systems.

This Notice of Intent is not a request for a competitive proposal. This is not a solicitation and the information contained herein are subject to change or be eliminated from the requirement. Only contractors capable of providing directly compatible equivalent products shall respond. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice.

Interested parties who feel they have this capability may identify their interest and capability in writing to the identified point of contact, no later than 12:00 PM Eastern Time Zone on April 06, 2023.

To demonstrate your firm's interest and capabilities to provide directly compatible equivalent products, please provide the following:

1.) Name of Firm

2.) CAGE Code

3.) Point of Contact, Phone Number, and Email Address

4.) Supporting documentation to illustrate the directly compatible equivalent product(s)

Submit any information for consideration by the Government to: teresa.L.Kelly@usace.army.mil and LRE-Proposal@usace.army.mil, Subject: 15Kv Switchgear Replacement, ABB Inc.

Responses shall be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government to specify these brand names, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government.

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