Santa Cruz Laboratory Cooling Tower-Chiller Mainx

This federal Request for Quotes (RFQ), solicitation number 1305M326Q0301, is issued by the Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The government seeks a contractor to perform routine maintenance, operations, testing, and emergent, non-routine repairs on the cooling tower and chiller system at the Southwest Fisheries Science Center's Santa Cruz Laboratory, located in Santa Cruz, California. Set aside entirely for small businesses under NAICS code 238220 (Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors) with a $19 million size standard, the acquisition consists of a base year (September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2027) and four consecutive one-year option periods, extending potentially through August 31, 2031. Contract Line Item Numbers (CLINs) are structured as firm-fixed-price for routine maintenance and pre-funded "Not-to-Exceed" (NTE) for emergency repairs. Quotes will be evaluated using a comparative evaluation process based on three factors listed in descending order of importance: Technical Approach and Capability, Price, and Past Performance. Under Technical Approach, vendors must submit a detailed maintenance plan, emergency response times, and downtime mitigation strategies. Key administrative terms require contractor registration in SAM and FedConnect, electronic invoicing via the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP), and compliance with Department of Commerce REAL ID entry requirements. A site visit is scheduled for July 15, 2026, at the Santa Cruz facility, and quotes are due by July 22, 2026.

This Statement of Work outlines the requirements for comprehensive preventive maintenance, inspections, vibration analysis, and emergency repair services for the cooling tower and chiller system at the NOAA/NMFS Santa Cruz Laboratory in California. Because this coastal fisheries research facility relies on controlled environmental conditions for critical scientific operations, maintaining system reliability is essential. The scope of work covers specific equipment, including a McQuay Scroll Chiller, an Evapco Cooling Tower with VFD, a Bell & Gossett heat exchanger, and associated pumps and control systems. The contractor must perform annual preventive maintenance (including strainer cleaning and cooling tower vibration analysis) and quarterly periodic services (including system inspections, VFD servicing, and quarterly chiller leak rate calculations). Additionally, the contractor must provide 24/7 emergency response within 2 to 4 hours and submit detailed written service reports within 10 business days of each visit. The performance period consists of a base year from September 1, 2026, to August 31, 2027, followed by four consecutive one-year option periods extending through August 31, 2031. Eligible contractors must possess at least five years of experience servicing similar chiller plants in marine environments, hold EPA Section 608 refrigerant handling certifications, and comply with all applicable ASHRAE, OSHA, and NOAA safety and environmental standards.

This federal government document is Service Contract Act (SCA) Wage Determination No. 2015-5649 (Revision 26), issued by the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division on May 13, 2026. It establishes the minimum wage rates and required fringe benefits for various service occupations performing on federal contracts within Santa Cruz County, California. The determination lists hourly pay rates across multiple labor categories, including administrative support, automotive service, food preparation, health, information technology, and protective services. It also outlines mandatory employee fringe benefits, detailing a standard health and welfare rate of $5.55 per hour (or $5.09 per hour for contracts subject to Executive Order 13706 paid sick leave requirements). Additionally, it mandates a minimum of twelve paid holidays per year and a structured vacation schedule based on years of continuous service. Special provisions are included for hazardous pay differentials (ranging from 4% to 8% for explosives and ordnance work), uniform allowances, and night/Sunday premiums for air traffic controllers and weather observers. Finally, the document details the guidelines and conformance process using Standard Form 1444 (SF-1444) to establish wage rates for unlisted job classifications, ensuring they maintain a reasonable relationship to the listed occupations.

This document is a blank Request for Information (RFI) tracking log template for an upcoming federal procurement. It is designated for RFQ/RFP Number 1305M326Q0301, titled "Santa Cruz Laboratory Cooling Tower & Chiller Maintenance (Base + 4 Option Years)." The purpose of this document is to record, track, and manage inquiries submitted by prospective contractors during the bidding process. The template structured across multiple pages is designed to log up to 35 individual RFIs. It contains specific tracking columns to capture key details for each query, including the RFI number, date received, the specific question asked, the Client/Subject Matter Expert (SME) response, the response date, the date the inquiry was forwarded to the client, and the date the final response was distributed back to the contractors.

This document is a Past Performance Questionnaire template (Attachment #4) for NOAA solicitation number 1305M326Q0301, which seeks maintenance and servicing for the Santa Cruz Laboratory cooling tower and chiller over a base year plus four option years. The questionnaire is designed to gather performance history for offerors or major subcontractors. The document is divided into four main sections: - **Sections I & II:** Completed by the offeror to provide solicitation data and historical contract details (such as contract values, performance periods, and contracting roles), which are subsequently verified by a government assessor. - **Section III:** Completed by the assessor to identify their administrative role (e.g., COR, Contracting Officer, or Project Lead) and their period of involvement. - **Section IV:** Completed by the assessor to assign an overall performance rating (ranging from Exceptional to Unsatisfactory, or Not Applicable) based on quality, timeliness, cost management, and customer satisfaction, with space provided for additional narrative comments. Assessors are instructed to email the completed form directly to NOAA at name@noaa.gov to expedite the source selection process.