This is a request for information (Questionnaire attached). This is not a Request for Proposals (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or an Invitation for Bid (IFB) and it shall not be construed as an obligation on the part of the Government. There will be no solicitation, specification, or drawings available at this time.

Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Southeast (NAVFAC SE) is soliciting comments from the construction community addressing the use of Project Labor Agreements (PLA) for construction projects (including new work, additions, alterations, and repairs). The project involves constructing the first of two primary facilities for maintaining the Improved Navy Lighterage System (INLS). The lighterage require cyclical maintenance, which takes place at Navy Point on Blount Island. The facility is required to support lighterage maintenance, operational testing, storage, and staging. This includes the ability to transfer lighterage between water and land in order to test newly maintained craft in the water and to transfer to maintenance facilities, both on and off site. Project requirements include:

Main Components

• One General Purpose Berthing Wharf for berthing up to 15 total Lighterage


• Three access trestles to the Berthing Wharf, two for vehicles and one for personnel


• Lighterage Lift-Launch Pier (LLP), which includes two parallel finger piers to support the existing 150-ton Travel Lift and future 200-ton Travel Lift. East finger pier shall be designed to support vehicular access. The area north of the slip to be designed to support a 300-ton crawler crane and loaded transporter.


• Floating dock to berth two small watercrafts with floating jet dock


• Sand Landing Craft Ramp


• Two-story Waterfront Operations Building to contain restrooms, utility rooms, and second story Harbormaster Office

Support Components

• Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection (AT/FP)


• Site work


• Paved parking for two (2) police vehicles


• Paved parking for thirty-eight (38) private vehicles serving wharf (including one (1) accessible space)


• Paved parking for six (6) government owned vehicles


• Pierhead Way extension


• Cul-de-sac


• Reinforced pavement for crane hardstand area


• Shore protection


• Concrete approach to LLP


• Access road


• Sand ramp


• 1000-pound jib crane near the east end of the Lighterage Wharf


• Electrical utilities to support the project include primary and secondary electrical distribution system, transformer, site security lighting, navigation lighting, fire alarms system, telephone lines, and fiber optic data lines.


• Mechanical utilities to support the project include sanitary sewer and lift station, potable water, fire protection water, fire hydrants, compressed air, and hot water for restrooms.


• Facilities associated with temporary relocation of existing Afloat Staging Point (ASP) and police boat jet dock for use during construction. Facilities include: installation of four (4) new 24” square prestressed concrete guide piles; fabrication and installation of four (4) new galvanized steel guide frames with UHMW-PE rollers mounted to the ASP; installation of a temporary access walkway/gangway providing landside access to the ASP; and installation of a temporary landside concrete foundation at the temporary access walkway/gangway. At the completion of Lighterage Wharf construction, The Contractor will remove the temporary ASP guide piles, gangway, and landside gangway foundation. The ASP and police boat jet dock will be removed/relocated by Blount Island Command (BIC).

The project will be design-bid-build, North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 237990 – Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction with the annual size standard of $45 million. Project Magnitude is between $25,000,000 and $100,000,000. The general period of performance is anticipated to be approximately 665 calendar days.

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 as described in 29 U.S.C. 158 (f). Effective January 22, 2024, Final Rule (FAR Case 2022-003), implements Executive Order (E.O.) 14063, Use of PLAs for Federal Construction Projects, which requires the use of PLAs in large-scale (defined as $35 million or more) Federal construction projects within the United States. Contractors and subcontractors working on large-scale construction projects must negotiate or become party to a PLA with one or more labor organizations unless an exception is granted. This requirement applies to new solicitations, including task or delivery orders, issued on or after January 22, 2024.

The Government is requesting information to determine if the use of project labor agreements will (1) advance the Federal Government's interest in achieving economy and efficiency in Federal procurement; (2) promote adequate competition at a fair and reasonable price; and (3) be consistent with statutes, regulations, laws etc. The Government is seeking information from both unionized and non-unionized contractors, as well as contractors familiar with the federal marketplace as well as new entrants, that may be interested in participating in competition for this procurement. Reference is made to: FAR Subpart 22.5 Use of Project Labor Agreements for Federal Construction Projects; provision, FAR 52.222-33 Notice of Requirement for Project Labor Agreement; and to clause, FAR 52.222-34 Project Labor Agreement.

In consideration of the above factors, and any others which may be deemed appropriate, the construction community is invited to comment on the use of a PLA for this proposed project using the attached questionnaire.

This is not an announcement of the availability of a solicitation nor is it a means of generating a plan holder’s list. After review of the responses to this special notice, the Government intends to make a determination to pursue an exception to the mandatory use of a PLA or not. The Government will not contact the responders for clarification of information provided. This survey is for planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a Request for Proposal or as an obligation on the part of the Government. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this market survey or otherwise pay for the requested information. The Government will not provide a debriefing on the results of this survey. All information will be held in a confidential manner and will only be used for the purposes intended.

Responses shall be submitted on the attached questionnaire via email to Deborah Torrence, deborah.d.torrence2.civ@us.navy.mil and Lindsay Betteridge, lindsay.e.betteridge.civ@us.navy.mil. no later than 2:00 PM ET on January 31, 2024.