The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Buffalo District will be soliciting proposals for the US Department of Agriculture National Grapes Improvement Center at Cornell University (USDA NGIC). The project site is located on the USDA-Cornell University AgriTech Campus, in Geneva, New York. As part of the construction contract solicitation, the USACE intends to include the following standards/use of brand name references as necessary to convey requirements but is not intended to restrict competition. The identified brand name items or proprietary specifications are intended to solely relay the basis of design (BOD): Exterior Espalier System - The GreenGuide espalier system from Jakob is the basis for the espalier design on the NGIC project in Geneva, NY. The espalier system has been designed specifically to compliment the aesthetics of the building exterior and coordinated attachment with the proposed brick treatment with use of the manufacturer's spacers system. While it is possible to find an espalier system that is aesthetically equivalent to the GreenGuide system, we find that the Jakob product offers flexibility, functionality and lightweight construction required to work with the building facade, which may prove challenging with other manufacturers. For example, the horizontal and vertical stainless-steel rods are designed to look robust in order to support the weight of the vegetation, while also needing to follow the architectural brick pattern on the building exterior wall. The spacer thickness to penetrate the architectural brick panel must be designed to attach to the protruding and non-protruding brick coursing. Therefore, the identified brand name item or proprietary specification is intended to solely relay the BOD for the exterior espalier system. The manufacturer and product(s) establish a cohesive aesthetic along with meeting all critical performance criteria. Supply Air Valves - The Design team identified that the air supply valves will have a basis of design using the Accuvalve product. Utilizing this equipment will result in lower pressure drops and have an integral airflow sensor allowing for better integration to the ALC control system. Using another similar product will likely result in extensive design changes and increase in construction costs as it may change the output tolerances required from the base building mechanical systems. All responsible sources may submit a capability statement which shall be considered by the agency. The submission must be received no later than 1:00 PM Eastern Time on 1 December 2023 to Jeffrey.S.Sprunger@usace.army.miI. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
The Method of Contractor Selection has not been determined at this Time.
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