Hydropower Education Training 2026 CETAI

Sole Source Determination

This document is a Sole Source Determination for Hydropower Education Training 2026, referencing RFQ W9127N26QA025. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) requires services to improve the capability, reliability, and safety of its hydropower infrastructure. This involves engaging with other electrical utility organizations to collaborate on current and future technologies, aiming to optimize equipment life, improve efficiency, increase reliability, reduce outage times, enhance safety and environmental performance, and improve risk-based asset management.

The USACE plans to purchase annual memberships to three interest groups offered by the Centre for Energy Advancement through Technological Innovation (CEATI) International Inc. These memberships provide access to new research projects, in-person meetings, conferences, webinars, recorded trainings, assessment tools, and guidance specific to each interest group. The groups offer peer and professional support, with a majority of attendees coming from power utilities.

• Hydropower Plant Equipment: Focuses on optimizing capital and O&M costs, extending equipment life, increasing reliability, and minimizing outage times. Tailored for plant managers, electrical and mechanical engineers.
• Protection and Controls: Focuses on the performance of protection and control devices to mitigate damage and maintain power system stability. Tailored for protection and control engineers, subject matter experts, and managers.
• Asset Management in Generation: Focuses on identifying challenges and sharing solutions for asset management development, implementation, and optimization. Tailored for asset managers, investment planners, and related roles.

The procurement is being conducted under FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i) - Soliciting from a Single Source. CEATI International Inc. has been identified as the only known organization since 2022 that meets USACE's needs for hydropower facility advancement through its membership programs. Market research, including past Notices of Intent and searches for alternative organizations (IHA, NHA), did not identify other entities capable of providing the same collaborative engagement and access to R&D.

A Notice of Intent will be released on SAM.gov to allow other companies to submit capability statements. If a technically capable alternative is identified, the need for a sole source will be reassessed.

Previous purchase orders for similar services with CEATI include:

• CY 2022-2023: $251,400.00
• CY 2024: $81,081.00
• CY 2025: $59,364.90

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

To provide multi-national hydropower education and training services to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), facilitating participation in collaborative efforts, access to industry developments, and addressing emergent technical issues. Work will be performed virtually or at non-US federal government locations.

• Provide a non-exclusive, non-transferrable license for intellectual property developed through the project for USACE's internal, non-commercial use.
• Conduct program networking and problem-solving conference calls.
• Maintain a library of training content and host regular expert-led webinars.
• Provide technical guidance documents developed during the membership term.
• Develop decision support tools and conduct best practice research.
• Offer access to program benchmarking and diagnostic services.
• Provide two (2) tickets annually to an in-person conference and related program business meeting(s) per interest group membership.
• Offer advisory support from Technical Advisors at scheduled in-person and virtual events.
• Assign a Dedicated Account Manager.
• The Contractor shall provide a statement confirming their organization consists solely of international Owner/Operators of hydropower, is user-driven, and focuses on providing technology solutions to participating electrical utility participants to advance the industry through knowledge sharing and development. The program is designed to assist hydroelectric projects in lowering costs, extending equipment life, improving efficiency, reliability, safety, and environmental performance, and enhancing decision-making and benchmarking techniques.

Work will be performed virtually or at non-US federal government locations.

• The contractor must provide a statement confirming their organization's structure and focus on hydropower technology solutions and industry advancement.
• Invoices must be prepared in accordance with FAR clause 52.212-4(g).