Notice to Sole Source Fort Bragg Special Operation Training Facility, North Carolina Microgrid Construction Project

In compliance with RFO 5.101 coupled with the guidance set forth by RFO DFARS PGI 206.103-170(d) this Notice for Request for Information is hereby published to inform of the following:

The Louisville District intends to award a sole source contract to Sandhills Utility Service, Inc for services to construct a microgrid system at Fort Bragg Special Operations Training Facility in North Carolina that includes a 4-Megawatt (MW) fixed-tilt ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) solar array, a minimum 6MW/ Energy Storage System (ESS), and a new 6MW diesel generator(s) with fuel storage and a fuel polishing system.

The system will feature a master controller, synchronization controllers, automatic transfer switches, transformers, reclosers, inverters, rectifiers, and underground electrical infrastructure. It will be installed on a closed restricted network (CRN), and isolating switches will interface with the existing Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. Protective relay controls will be added to the existing 6MW diesel generators.

The applicable Size Standard is North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code 237130, with a size standard of 45,000,000.00. Estimated period of performance is 990 calendar days. Construction magnitude is more than $50,000,000.00. The construction of the microgrid system will require integration into the utility service provider’s extant power infrastructure. The microgrid is designed to provide extended backup power by islanding from the main grid during an outage.

Installing this black-start capable microgrid at Fort Bragg will greatly improve the energy security and resilience of the installation and will significantly increase the ability to ensure continuity of operations and mission-essential functions. Sandhills Utility Services, Inc is the sole local utilities provider for the Fort Bragg installation.

They own, operate, and maintain the existing utility infrastructure that the new microgrid must connect to, as the microgrid will function as a component of the private utility provider’s established electrical distribution system.

As the owner and operator of the utility system, Sandhills Utility Services, Inc maintains exclusive ownership, operational control, and authority over the existing infrastructure and is solely authorized to approve, interface, operate, and maintain interconnected systems within its electrical distribution network Sole sourcing the contemplated construction project to the utility provider is expected to attenuate the risk of future stranded assets, in the event that the utility provider does not allow that interface to occur.

Sole sourcing directly with the utility provider effectively avoids later disputes concerning conveyance and expedites the transfer of operation and maintenance obligations. Based on the foregoing reasons, it is in the best interest of the government to sole-source the construction project to the private utility provider.

This notice does not constitute a solicitation for offers, proposals, etc. However, interested firms must send a capabilities statement NO LATER THAN 11:00AM EDT on 09 April 2026. Capability Statements should be sent to the attention of Adrienne Manuel, Contracting Division POC, at Adrienne.C.Manuel@usace.army.mil Please ensure that the subject line of your email includes "RFI W912QR26FTBSOTF” Award is anticipated on or about August 30, 2026. This announcement is in accordance with RFO 5.101(a).