RFI Scaffolding Service Lead South Dakota LBNF Project
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The Department of Energy (DOE), through Fermilab, has issued a Request for Information (RFI) for Scaffolding Services to support the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) project at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, South Dakota. This RFI aims to gather industry input to inform the planning and structuring of a future Request for Proposals (RFP). Responses are due March 20, 2026.
Scope of Work
The opportunity involves providing comprehensive scaffolding services for detector construction within underground caverns, approximately 4,900 feet below the surface, for an estimated duration of three to five years. Services include:
- Standard Scaffolding: Advance notification, delivery to underground location, assembly, inspection, tagging, certification, disassembly, removal, and storage.
- Custom Scaffolding: Design, procurement, delivery, assembly, inspection, tagging, certification, disassembly, removal, and storage.
Information Requested
Fermilab is seeking detailed information on:
- Pricing: Rental, labor, engineering, and travel/per-diem rates; invoicing structures; and rental rate calculation methods.
- Capabilities: Standard crew size, examples of custom scaffolding, training requirements, staffing levels (up to 10 craftsmen), experience in underground environments, labor pool management for absences, and required certifications (e.g., NCCCO, OSHA, ANSI).
- Operational Aspects: Experience with sub-tier contractors for dismantling, mobilization notification times, ability to support long-duration requirements (5+ days), in-house engineering for certified designs, tracking methods for multiple structures, on-site staging area requirements, and scaffold tagging systems (e.g., green tag).
- Policies: Approaches to minor scaffold modifications by client technicians and policies for modifying/tearing down standard non-engineered scaffolding.
Planned Procurement & Timeline
- Type: Request for Information (RFI) for market research.
- Future Contract Type: Anticipated Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) subcontract with individual task orders.
- Set-Aside: None specified; this is for information-gathering only.
- RFI Response Due: March 20, 2026
- Anticipated RFP Release: April 2026
- Anticipated RFP Due Date: Late Spring 2026
- Anticipated IDIQ Award: July/August 2026
Submission Details
Responses should be submitted in writing to Brian McKenzie at mckenzie@fnal.gov. This RFI is for planning purposes only and does not commit the government to any future procurement or confer any advantage/disadvantage.