East Bear Creek Pumping Plant and Pipeline Moderni

Scope of Work

This is a Sources Sought Notice from the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation (California-Great Basin Region, Acquisition Office, Sacramento, CA). It is market research only and not a solicitation. The Government is considering a construction procurement to furnish and install a new fish screen, sheet pile wall, pipeline, access road and butterfly valves, and to modify the pumping plant discharge and electrical systems. The work is at two sites on the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge in Merced County, CA.

Principal components listed in the notice:

• Pumping Plant Site:
  • Upgrades to electrical and controls components.
  • Replacement of manual operators on existing butterfly valves, installation of butterfly valve position transmitters, and modification of pump discharge piping.
  • Furnishing one fish screen.
  • Sheet pile wall.
  • Pipeline.
  • Access road.
  • Earth fill.
• Regulating Tank Site: Replacement of controls components.

The notice lists the following attachments, but their text was not included in the documents provided: DRAFT Specification No 20-C0952 and DRAFT 20-C0952 Drawings 11x17. PSC is Y1NE (Construction of Water Supply Facilities).

Key Requirements

• The work is a furnish-and-install and modification effort for fish screen, sheet pile wall, pipeline, access road, valves, discharge piping and electrical systems (Sources_Sought_Notice-SAM_gov_11_2_2026_1.pdf): "The DOI/BOR is preparing for a potential procurement to furnish and install new fish screen, sheet pile wall, pipeline, access road, butterfly valves, and modify pumping plant discharge and electrical systems."
• The work is at two sites near Gustine, CA (Sources_Sought_Notice-SAM_gov_11_2_2026_1.pdf): "Work is located approximately 12 miles east of Gustine, CA, in Merced County at two sites located on the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge."
• The anticipated construction duration is 560 calendar days from Notice to Proceed (Sources_Sought_Notice-SAM_gov_11_2_2026_1.pdf): "The anticipated construction period is 560 calendar days from Notice to Proceed."
• The stated project magnitude is $5 million to $10 million (Sources_Sought_Notice-SAM_gov_11_2_2026_1.pdf): "Construction Project Magnitude: Between $5,000,000 and $10,000,000."
• An active SAM registration is required when submitting an offer or quotation and at award (Sources_Sought_Notice-SAM_gov_11_2_2026_1.pdf, Section 4, citing RFO Deviation Part 4.203-1(b)). I am not quoting this one because the sentence contains nested quotation marks.
• Respondents must state their business size under NAICS 237990, verified in SAM.gov, and their socioeconomic status if applicable (Sources_Sought_Notice-SAM_gov_11_2_2026_1.pdf, Section 5.A). This is written as a list, not a single sentence I can copy.
• Respondents must state their intent to bid as a prime contractor (Sources_Sought_Notice-SAM_gov_11_2_2026_1.pdf): "A clear statement of interest and intent to submit a proposal as a prime contractor for any forthcoming solicitation."
• Each past performance project must include contract amounts at award and at close-out, number of modifications, period of performance, customer, point of contact, role and key subcontractors (Sources_Sought_Notice-SAM_gov_11_2_2026_1.pdf, Section 5.C). This is a bulleted list, so no single sentence is quoted.

Submission Instructions

• Responses go by email to two named contacts: Charlesetta Seibure (charlesetta_seibure@ios.doi.gov) and Stephanie Lindner (Stephanie_Lindner@ios.doi.gov). Both must receive it (Sources_Sought_Notice-SAM_gov_11_2_2026_1.pdf): "Responses shall be submitted via email to:"
• The response is due November 18, 2026 (Sources_Sought_Notice-SAM_gov_11_2_2026_1.pdf): "Response Due: November 18, 2026, 5:00pm PST". The notice header gives 5:00 PM EST, so the time zone conflicts. Confirm it with the contracting office.
• Up to three relevant past performance projects from the last five years are requested (Sources_Sought_Notice-SAM_gov_11_2_2026_1.pdf): "Provide up to three (3) relevant projects performed within the last five (5) years that demonstrate capability to perform work of similar type, scale, and complexity."
• Respondents should describe their capability and what differentiates them from other firms (Sources_Sought_Notice-SAM_gov_11_2_2026_1.pdf, Section 5.B.2 and 5.B.3). No single sentence is quoted here because the items are numbered fragments.
• Respondents may also give feedback, questions or redlines on the information provided (Sources_Sought_Notice-SAM_gov_11_2_2026_1.pdf, Section 6). The Government may respond at its discretion.
• Responses should not contain proprietary, classified, confidential or sensitive information (Sources_Sought_Notice-SAM_gov_11_2_2026_1.pdf, Section 8).
• No page limit or file format is specified in these documents.

Risks and Red Flags

• Not a solicitation. The Government is under no obligation to issue a solicitation or award, and it will not reimburse response costs. The notice header lists a solicitation number (140RR027R0017), but the document itself is a Sources Sought Notice.
• Deadline conflict. The notice header says 5:00 PM EST and the document says 5:00pm PST.
• Procurement path unknown. The work may be placed on an existing multiple-award vehicle, which could shut out firms without that contract.
• Draft attachments not in the text provided. The specification and drawings (20-C0952) are marked DRAFT, and I could not review them. Technical risks, such as fish screen specifications, in-water or refuge environmental constraints, and electrical and controls scope, cannot be assessed.
• Long performance period. 560 calendar days from Notice to Proceed.
• Preliminary schedule. The Government may change the dates (pre-solicitation notice January 20, 2027; solicitation February 4, 2027; proposals due March 6, 2027; award May 18, 2027).
• Magnitude is a range only. $5M to $10M is broad. Contract type, bonding, wage determination and evaluation approach are not specified.
• Title. The title on the notice is truncated ("Moderni"). The document's full title is "East Bear Creek Pumping Plant and Pipeline Modernization Upgrades".